The Way of the Sword
by Serenanna
Summary: Continuation of Ronsmyhero's Respect and Understanding. One year can change a lot of things in Konoha, especially when it comes to ANBU, swords, sex, team mates, and love. KakaSaku, SasakiOC, Lemon
1. We Have a Problem

The Way of the Sword

A Naruto fanfiction, By Serenanna

Lesson 00 – We Have a Problem

Warnings and Disclaimers: I don't own Naruto or any of the characters. I'm just borrowing them to play with. I'll return them later, promise. There is adult content, and sexual situations in this story involving sharp, pointy objects. So, if you're under 18, leave now before your virgin eyes are scarred forever, if you're over 18, enjoy!

Story Notes: This is a Kakashi/Sakura fic, while other pairings may come and go. Yeah, I know, I've gone to the dark side of not sticking to canon like I usually do, and boy was it good on the way over! This story is a continuation of Ronsmyhero's Respect and Understanding. Reading that fic is a good idea in order to understand this one, but I will try to gloss over the important stuff. It is being written with her knowledge and stamp of approval. In case she ever makes her own sequel, this is an AU take then. I know a fanfic of a fanfic probably isn't a good idea, but I'm giving it a whirl. Ronsmyhero, this is in honor of you. To that end, I am making an OC to be Yajima's replacement, and the way this story is shaping, he will be paired with Sasaki. Outside of the basics of the Naruto world, I'm a complete newbie. If this fic breaks a lot of canon as far as the combat goes, I'm sorry. The style of sword combat I'm going with will try to be semi-realistic. If that's against canon, again, I'm sorry. I'm trying here. I don't know how long this'll run. Hell, I don't even know how long I can stretch out this plot or even if it has a point. Eventually it will have a point, I think. We'll see. Lemons of various shapes and sizes will abound along with mild drama, angst, buckets of humor, raunchiness, fluff, and action. This is your fair warning.

* * *

Every muscle in her body hurt, but it was a feeling she was getting used to in her life. Another night in Konoha passed, and another dangerous mission was successfully completed by the ANBU shinobi. After handing in the mission report for her team, all she wanted was sleep. That almost seemed assured as soon as her head hit the shuriken-print pillows face first, almost. If it wasn't for the sound of a 'poof' over her shoulder and the familiar presence another person's chakra, Haruno Sakura would have already been asleep. His usual soft utterance of "Yo," in greeting only seemed to further awaken her.

So, he was back as well, and she was certain of what he would want. A low moan jumped from her throat in a way that sounded half pleasurable, and half annoyed. She did love him, but if he didn't let her sleep tonight . . . "Go away."

"Is that any way to greet your lover?" a familiar masculine voice said from over her shoulder, "Besides, I can't go away completely. I live here now too."

She didn't want to hear him right now. She didn't even want to see his face beneath that infuriating mask smiling at her as she buried her head under the pillow. "In the morning, Kakashi, and not before," Sakura growled at him, her fists clenching the material over her head tightly, "Not unless you want the couch."

In the few months they'd been together since their world had almost turned upside down, Sakura had come to realized that there was a bigger threat she could wield against the man in her heart and her bed than her fists. It humbled about every man she knew with a significant other from her best friend Naruto to Asuma to Lee to the Great Copy Ninja himself, the couch. She could just imagine Kakashi's mouth quivering under his mask now at the idea that she'd spurn him from their bed after they'd both come back from missions. She could just about hear apologies too, even if she knew he'd never say them aloud over something so trivial. Instead, all she heard was blessed quiet except for the thud of body armor on carpet and the soft whisper of cloth being removed. If it was any other night, she would have gladly done that bit of work for him and quite more, but nope, not tonight though. With a more pleased hum, she snuggled the pillow instead.

At least until she felt an insistent tugging on her sandals and greaves.

Her emerald eyes turned in fury to see him bent over her legs, tugging her clothes off as methodically as possible. Even half-asleep she could still see the lecherous gleam in his one dark eye and plastered in his grin. Inner Sakura piped up with a potent quip about letting him undress her since he was not getting anything else that night, and she quite agreed. With a groan and a roll of her eyes, she laid perfectly still like a limp doll as he removed her garments.

By the time she was left in only her black panties and wound bandages over her breasts, she was more than content to drift off into sleep. She ignored him as he pulled up the sheets over her back after wrestling them out from under her, and even disregarded his arm snuggling her petite form next to him. His Sakura was nothing more that night than a sprawled log, a beautiful sprawled log, but a log nonetheless. It brought a smirk to his face, "Something tells me your mission didn't go right, huh?"

"Discuss, morning, after I kill Naruto."

Kakashi gave a dark chuckle. That was all he needed to know about it had gone, like her sluggishness wasn't enough of an indication already. He couldn't blame her. His former pupil just didn't grow up sometimes, least of all around his Sakura-chan. It wasn't like his mission had gone any better, but at least his new team was alive when the job was done. But . . . it could have gone better without the rookie medic-nin that got placed on his team in the aftermath of the war. The kid was slow, and not as battle-hardened as he'd liked, having passed the exam straight from hospital training. As much as he didn't like admitting it, he was pampered by the kunoichi's skills in healing, and would have given anything to have her back if only so he didn't end up more scarred than he was already. That was why he stuck around after the late night debriefing to talk to the ANBU commander about it.

It had gone better than he had thought, a lot better. For once things had seemingly gone right in his life. In fact, everything seemed to begin going right as soon as Sakura was firmly entrenched in his life, like his personal pink-haired good luck charm. Just thinking about the results of his talk with the commander made him feel elated, something he thought had died in him a long time ago. It was as if happy was a four letter word in Kakashi's life for as long as he could remember, and then . . . not. Hell, there were times he was less of a bastard, usually around her.

He couldn't help being somewhat less abrasive and cold around his cherry blossom sometimes since they saw each other so infrequently when not on missions. They teased each other, playfully went about their days, argued less destructively, and laughed together. He'd chuckled before, but never really laughed much, and now, he had a newfound sense of humor. It felt like a natural reaction to have, this newfound sense of life. And yet, it hadn't even occurred to him how much he had changed till Genma's accusations after getting slightly intoxicated and kissing Sakura in public suddenly one night at the bar. The senbon-sucker accused him of going soft, or what had he called it? 'Fuzzy'? Warm and 'fuzzy'? His hair was a little fuzzy, maybe, but his certainly wasn't . . . yet. Whether he liked it or not, his hardened life had been irrevocably shattered wide open by the pink-haired beauty nearly passed out beside him. The more he thought about it though, the less it seemed to matter.

And starting tomorrow, she would be back on his team. He'd get to see her in that tight black and white outfit all the time again. The grin on Kakashi's face widened to perverse proportions. He couldn't wait to tell her, but he supposed it would have to wait for the morning. But, damnit, why couldn't she be more awake so he could tell her now? He was almost ready to kill the blonde miscreant himself for wearing her out with work. She stirred fitfully as he continued to stare at her back, feeling his eyes on her. When she moaned in annoyance again, he couldn't wait anymore, "Sakura?"

"Morning . . ."

"I know, but you're going to want to hear this."

Slowly, she rolled towards him, a deep-set frown on her pink lips as she didn't believe him at all, "Enlighten me."

"Well, good news and bad news . . ."

She groaned and rolled away onto her stomach again, "Bad news."

"I talked to the commander tonight. You're no longer on Fox Team."

After a months of the hyper-active young man, who just happened to be her best friend, bossing her around, it left her with one thing to say, "This is suppose to be bad news?"

"Well . . ."

As much as she loved Naruto like the little brother she never had, it was strangely wonderful not to have to see him and his cheerful ass attitude every morning, bright and early. If she wasn't so tired, she would have done cartwheels, so Inner Sakura did them for her instead. And yet, from her lover's tone of voice, she knew he was holding back information, "There's a second part to this bad news, isn't there? If they stick me with some lump of raw recruits, I'll shove that order scroll right up their-."

"You're back on Dragon Team."

Sakura forgot all modesty and tiredness, popping up in the bed to turn towards him, "What!?"

The shinobi tried not to wince at her shock, uncertain if he was about to get pummeled or not, "I sort of straightened it out with the commander tonight, so your record is clear . . ."

Before Kakashi knew it, her lips were on top of his, kissing him as his mouth went slack with shock himself. Apparently this was better than he thought. As her hands held his face, the kiss quickly turned more passionate till she pulled away, positively beaming in the darkness as he blinked, "I thought you said this was bad news!"

For a second, a stupid grin encroached on his face as she hugged him only to be replaced with another smirk, "I don't intend to go easy on you, Sakura."

"Yes, but you won't try to kill me this time, will you?"

Kakashi winced, "Do you have to keep reminding me?"

"If only to show that even the great and mighty Copy Ninja can be a dope too," Sakura giggled as she laid her head down on his chest, feeling his exaggerated groans and not just hearing it. It seemed this conversation always came up one way or another between them, and he quickly learned it was well enough to let her win even if they were both fools over that incident. Her hand idly brushed a lock of silver-grey hair out of his face, and the mild argument was forgotten in favor of the second part of his announcement, "So, would you like the good news now or in the morning?"

"There's more!?"

He smirked, and tried to turn away, "Morning it is then . . ."

Sakura sat up and yanked him back before he could move very far, her green eyes pleading with him till he erupted with chuckles. She was as spoiled as ever, not that he helped the matter. "This isn't funny! I deserve to know if you're keeping me up, you big lug!" she yelled as her hands batted at him playfully, enough to sting but not enough to hurt.

It didn't help calm down his laughter at all as he twisted to avoid her. Huffing in annoyance, she finally pushed him away once he didn't stop chuckling. Instead, she moved back to lie down until he finally went silent. Then, he said it, "Dragon Team's yearly leave starts tomorrow . . ."

Before he knew it, she was hugging him again, and doing a pretty good intimidation of the type of exuberant displays of affection the Kyuubi container dished out, "Uh, S-sak-kura, air?"

Her grip let up as Kakashi gasped for breath even as she continued to giggle madly. Yearly leave, oh how she loved that word. After the battle with the remains of Hidden Sound and Hidden Cloud, her sensei decided to replenish the ranks with what she called yearly leave for each squad from chunin up to ANBU on a rotating basis. It was like summer vacation all over again, two months of free time in the village except for a few hours training. No missions whatsoever. It had set off a baby boom throughout Konoha, just like the Godaime had wanted. If she was now on Dragon Team again, and their leave was about to start tomorrow, that meant she'd have Kakashi all to herself for two months. Life couldn't get any better. Still drunk on the news, she tugged him with her as she rolled over top of him and off the other side. Unfortunately, the rest of the bed wasn't there.

In a move perhaps only she was capable of producing, they tumbled to the floor in a collision of flesh and sheets. All the air in her lungs was pushed out as Kakashi's hard body landed on top of hers as he groaned, his head knocking on the floor next to hers. Wheezing, Sakura still giggled, "So much for shinobi grace and keen reflexes."

"You're fault," he groused, starting to stiffly unpeel himself from her until he noticed that her laughter had stopped and was replaced with a lazy kiss on his throat, "I thought you there tired."

"Wide awake now," Sakura said as he was sure he felt her legs slipping around his thighs. And as her hips pressed up into his, she wasn't the only one awake anymore. Getting her to wake up for training tomorrow was going to be murder, even waking himself up was going to take a while. He was being betrayed by his own body, unconsciously responding with a groan, "Sakura . . ."

The threatening tone he had twisted on his voice did nothing but embolden her to kiss him, her slender limbs wrapped over him in more places than he knew he had. He gave in slowly, lazily kissing her cheek then nibbling on her ear before stopping. If this continued, they'd be sleeping here too. The kunoichi in his arms didn't seem to care as she kissed him again, her body arching up to touch him. Sleeping on the floor was very tempting if he wasn't so sore already. Kakashi's knees pressed downward into the carpet as he tried to lift her up, only to be successfully pulled back down again. "Sakura . . ." he said as he broke the lip lock with a huff, "Can I at least get us back onto the bed?"

"No," she said, bending herself around with a twist of the fallen bedding until she was on top of him, "I like it here . . . I doubt Ero-sennin ever wrote about Junko taking one of his woman on the floor, willingly at least."

Sakura sat up, straddling his hips while an impish grin spread over her face. A similar grin was on Kakashi's face as he realized something. His hooded eyes then narrowed on the young woman above him, ignoring her idly wandering hands over his chest, "You've been stealing my books, haven't you?"

"Icha Icha Violence, volume three, Junko valiantly wrestled the struggling kunoichi in his arms to the floor of the bath house, ripping the front of her uniform open. She struggled in his strong embrace, unconsciously feeling the rippling power in his arms instead of fighting him off. Her fighting only made him want the girl more as he pinned her down, whispering, 'I like women with a little spir-ritttt!'" Her fine dictation was cut off as Kakashi effortlessly picked her up from the floor before crashing back down on the bed.

If he wasn't wide awake before, he was now, and very much aroused. She just had to quote one of his favorite scenes, didn't she? Maybe he shouldn't have dog-eared or thumbed that page in particular so much. How did she even find them? Either way, she had his undivided attention. "I do like my women with a little spirit!" he teased, climbing on top of her as she writhed under him.

His hands struggled to undo the damned wrappings over her breasts as he kissed her. Suddenly, he felt a kunai being pressed into his hands through the moans being devoured by his mouth. Clever girl. Kakashi pulled back to smile gently, a look of absolute adoration in his mismatched eyes, "Love you."

The beam on Sakura's face was all the indication he needed to know she felt the same.

* * *

Kakashi was right about the morning when she rolled out of bed barely before eleven. It wasn't that bad considering she got in around two and didn't sleep till about three. After he'd attempted to stir her awake twice before the clock struck nine with little success, he let her sleep. When she was finally up, showered, dressed, and fed, she realized her significant other was nowhere to be found about their apartment, what used to be just hers alone. It was funny how things change over time.

Sakura sighed; leisurely walking towards ANBU headquarters in the basement of the Jounin building. Instinctively, she knew where he was, the memorial near the graveyard. She would have made her way up there too to join him, but she did her grieving at night, not early in the morning. Apparently, it was becoming their mutual habit, something none of their friends had picked up even after what happened almost a year ago. A good third of the Konoha shinobi force had died in the siege, the Jounin building was destroyed and rebuilt even grander than before, and the both of them nearly died themselves. Ever since walking the thin line between death and life with him, she was certain that she'd picked up more than a few habits of his, like newfound respect for the dead and a more relaxed, almost lazy, attitude. At least Kakashi's influence wasn't making her read porn in public. That didn't stop her from reading his stash of naughty books though. After all those years of watching him read them with zen-like attention, her curiosity was too great to suppress in the name of her modesty. Besides, she found them neatly hidden in the back of their closet in a box labeled spare kunai. It was almost as if he was begging for her to find and read them.

The day was bright as she walked out the back of the building and onto the training grounds after meeting with the commander about the new assignment, and changing into her uniform. Sasaki was already there, and already sparing with their third member. The purple-haired kunoichi hadn't changed at all since she saw her last, still as fluid and deadly as ever with a blade in her hand. And yet, her opponent still nearly hit her shoulder with the point of a sai as she dodged out of the way. Was she distracted? She must have been as she rarely got close to being hit except by their captain. The match stopped, both of them turning towards her as she approached. "Sakura!" the older woman was smiling, quickly sheathing her sword before pushing her mask up.

As soon as she was close enough, the pink-haired shinobi was pulled into a hug, "Welcome back."

"It's good to be back, isn't it, Saki?" she asked rhetorically with a giggle in her voice. There was a throat-clearing cough from nearby them, loud enough to interrupt their joyous reunion. Turning towards the third person in the clearing, Sakura was stuck that she hadn't noticed him before. He was too tall to miss, and filled out the ANBU uniform nicely if a bit on the pale and willowy side, like another ninja she knew. They were quite similar in build . . . but no, this couldn't be Kakashi in disguise. His chakra felt all wrong, and the man's mask was shaped with a hawk-like beak. He also never carried sais, which the man was sheathing into holsters on his hips. She could feel Sasaki's smile over her shoulder, "Meet our other semi-new member to Dragon Team, Kimura Takeo."

The mask was slowly pulled off of his head along with a black hood as he shook his long hair loose. Her green eyes widened. If she hadn't witnessed perfection in Kakashi's face already, she would have said her new teammate was the most beautiful man she'd seen in her life. Inner Sakura gawked along side her, staring at his obscenely long blue-black hair that hung poker-straight over his shoulder to cascade down his chest. His features were all, well, pretty for lack of a more masculine description, smooth, pale skin, angular jaw, small, sharp nose, full lips, and piercing deep blue eyes. If his last name wasn't Kimura, she would have hazarded to guess he was in some way related to the dead Uchihas. It was a good thing she was getting the gawking done now before her lover showed up, and saw the way her jaw had hit the ground. She wasn't interested damnit! He was just nice to look at! "So you must be the cherry blossom our Captain keeps talking about," Takeo said with a grin, "Pleased to finally meet you, Sakura-san."

For a brief moment, she wondered if Sasuke would have grown up looking like him. If the boy she knew had grinned a little more, the resemblance would have been complete. She blinked rapidly, clearing her head of those fantastic images. No, her first supposed love was dead, and he still didn't beat the Copy Ninja in the looks department, even if those sapphire eyes were easy to get lost in. She glanced over her shoulder at Sasaki, staring hard enough at him that her calculating composure had cracked wide open into a flagrantly appreciative smile. And from the unmoved expression on the man's face, he was used to the ogling of women. He didn't seem that interested in the attention at all, but not bother by it either.

Inner Sakura piped up wondering how long it would be before he took up a face mask like her Kakashi to keep from being stared at. That was an excellent question if she did think so herself. The kunoichi tried not to sigh, deciding to break it up, "It's nice to meet you as well, Takeo-san, and Sakura is just fine . . . but I'm afraid the illustrious Copy Ninja hasn't been forthcoming about . . . you, not to mention he's late . . ."

She scowled, the only thing she could do to keep from staring at him herself. He chuckled, "Doesn't surprise me in the least about Kakashi. I've been getting used to it, and it is alright to call me Takeo."

"He doesn't believe in the great legends of our Captain, unlike Yajima . . ." Sasaki said with a mournful lilt on her voice for their fallen teammate. The pink-haired young woman couldn't help but frown slightly at the mention of the dead wire-user. She could still remember finding his body in the ruins of the Jounin Headquarters, thinking it had been Kakashi's. At the sudden memory she winced, holding the pained look from her face as Sasaki touched her shoulder. Turning to the older woman, she gave a reassuring smile while getting the same look in return. After this many mouths, you'd think they wouldn't get this choked up thinking about the past.

Takeo wasn't an idiot as he watched the exchange between the two women, and he wasn't fresh off recruitment list either to not know what happened to the former members of Dragon Team. Hell, all of Konoha knew about the destruction of the building and why, just not the ANBU members who died or nearly died defending it. He frowned as well. Ever since he'd been assigned to the team in the wake of the siege, there was an air of sadness around the two remaining members that lifted with time and routine work. And yet, he still didn't feel like he fit in no matter how hard Hatake's lessons on team cohesion were. If he didn't know better, he'd think the man didn't want him there. In honesty, watching the pair of kunoichi interact like long lost friends, the gulf between them now felt even wider. Maybe in two months of leave it would lessen or . . .

"Even after getting pounded into the dirt like the rest of us, he still doesn't think the Captain's all that great," Saki said, and he knew she was baiting him into an argument.

The dark-haired man smirked, crossing his arms over his chest, "I can't think highly of the skills of anyone who is beset with laziness."

Sakura was nearly beaming as his admission while Sasaki laughed softly. Finally! Someone who agreed with her on Kakashi's lack of willpower! She giggled madly, beginning to like the new guy already.

A kunai landed in the dirt by Takeo's sandaled foot, making him jump as the laughter died on the women's lips. The silence in the forest was replaced by dark chuckling. The three ninjas scanned the trees, drawing weapons just in case. "I guess someone didn't like that comment," Sakura muttered as she saw a tree branch sway slightly, "Anyone want to place a bet on whom it is?"

There was no need as a black and white clad figure dropped from the trees into a crouch, the shock of silver hair giving his identity away, "A ninja isn't lazy. He is exactly where he wants to be when he wants to be."

"Still means you're late, Kakashi," Sakura grumbled as she relaxed from a defensive pose. He lifted the white and black mask to the top of his head. There was a smirk from under the cloth mask as his dark eye creased at her happily. "So are you. That's because you weren't awake long enough last night for me to tell you 'when' we were supposed to meet," he muttered as she blushed red.

The other members of the team didn't bat one eye at his implications despite breaking his own implicit rules as Captain against team fraternization. It wasn't a secret that they were together, especially after their joint hospital stay and Naruto's big mouth. That idiot must have blabbed to the whole village. When they got out, there were millions of questions flung at them by their friends for the full story, which, given that it was ANBU business, they couldn't tell. Ino in particular wanted to know how it all happened. As much as she wanted to tell Pig everything, she just couldn't.

After the initial shock had died down in their social circle, the next question on their mutual friends' minds was when they were getting hitched. She could have killed Naruto when he first asked her. It was inevitable, but still, did he have to ask so loudly, and in front of so many others who knew them? After that, the question kept cropping up in polite conversation the more often they were seen together in public. Really, you'd like a village nearly torn asunder by battle would have better things to talk about than the love life of a silver-haired elite ninja and his former student. Unable to take the questions any longer, Kakashi moved in to her much larger abode, abandoning the broom closet of a bachelor's apartment for good. He even sold it without telling her, confessing only when she found an influx of money in their accounts.

Apparently, that was enough proof of his fidelity without marriage for everyone as the questions stopped being asked. No one seemed to mind them living together without proper ceremony and circumstance. Not that they would have cared what anyone in Konoha thought. As long as they were together and still working as shinobi, everything else was inconsequential. On the bright side, it inspired Asuma to finally drop the act that he didn't care about Kurenai, and move in with her as well. She still remembered the announcement he made of it during the course one night of drinking at the bar. If he hadn't been purposefully sober when he said it, no one would have believed him at all, least of all his ruby-eyed lover.

Who would have thought so much could change in a year's time?

Kakashi's mask softened into a smile, a look that she knew was meant for her only as he stood up. Despite herself, Sakura smiled back even as the other two looked rather darkly at their leader. "Next time you decided to surprise us, Kakashi, at least have the dignity to use a smoke bomb or something normally you do," Takeo said with a frown, "Kunai at the feet tend to make people jumpy."

"I have to keep you all on your toes somehow," he said as the smirk was back in place, "Besides, I don't want my team going soft during the downtime. The rules still apply, so you three better be pulling your weight during these sessions."

Her warm smile turned more into one of amused levity, trying so hard not to grin. So he was still himself after all, her first teacher, and ever the hardass when it came to missions and training, and just slightly less scary. "Does this mean more tag team matches?" she asked, already anticipating getting her butt handed to her.

"Not today, Sakura, more finite lessons for now," Kakashi said he grabbed the other male ninja by the shoulder, and dragging him along as they moved off, "I believe you ladies have sword practice?"

She tried not to groan, knowing her uniform was about to be shredded to ribbons by Saki's ninja-to. Ever since joining Fox Team, her short sword training had gone downhill. Naruto hadn't even tried to find her a tutor since no one on his team used the weapon, and she didn't push it. After dueling with Sasaki, she didn't even know if she could wield the blade again. She'd never be as seamlessly graceful with the weapon. Maybe sword fighting just wasn't in her . . . she just hadn't told that to Kakashi yet. Then again, he was perverted enough to keep training so that he could bear witness the gradual destruction of her clothes even if he was currently getting away. Pouting, she shouted after him, "I thought you like watching these sessions!? You enjoyed it last time you stuck around, nosebleed and all!"

Half-way across the clearing the Copy Ninja stopped, and twitched, a movement that only got worse as Takeo burst out laughing at him. Laughing at Kakashi probably wasn't a smart idea . . . Even Saki smiled at little as their captain was still embarrassed at the incident in question while he didn't show too much. It was kind of obvious anyway in how he grabbed the other ninja by the scruff of his neck, hauling him towards the line of trees, "That's enough out of you, pretty-boy, time for taijutsu training."

There was enough implied threat in Kakashi's voice that the man stopped laughing instantly, suddenly scared but compliant. While he may not have been dazzled by their captain's storied history like his other teammate, he did acknowledge that the older ninja was a force to be reckoned with. He just wasn't about to admit that out loud any time soon. Takeo gulped, knowing that force was about to be heavily applied to his jaw in the name of training as he walked with a little more trepidation. It could have been worse, he supposed, like being at the business end of Sasaki's sword instead.

After watching the men leave, the two women turned to one another while getting ready for their practice, stretching. "Think he'll hurt him?" Sakura asked, wondering how much she had aggravated Kakashi with the loud comment.

"Just a little maybe, but I suppose Takeo had it coming to him for laughing like that, even if you were one who started it," the purple-haired kunoichi answered as she flexed her arms behind her back, "That day was priceless. I don't know what was funnier, the Captain's nosebleed over your shredded uniform, or the shock on his face when you ripped down his mask to attend to it."

"He can be so perverted some times . . . it's rubbing off on me too though . . ." Sakura admitting with a slight blush as the other woman laughed softly. There was an inquisitive gleam in her dark eyes and slight smile. "Oh really?" she asked, obvious digging for more information.

"Well . . . wouldn't you like to be a fly on a tree leaf right now watching those two fight each other?" she asked before her smile turned into a more impish grin, "Or wouldn't you like to be teaching Takeo short sword rather than me? Or at least sparing with him? I saw how you were looking at him. I can just see his uniform barely hanging on, sliced to delicate black and white shreds, hot and wet from heavy practice . . ."

The deep red blush on Sasaki's face was two parts livid anger, and two parts undeniable embarrassment, "Sakura, you don't know the first thing about him, so stop assuming. And secondly, I . . . I may like looking at him, but there's nothing there, he isn't . . . he can't be Hayate . . ."

Wincing, and feeling very foolish suddenly, Sakura sheepishly looked up at the older woman, "I'm sorry . . . I didn't mean to imply that, but . . . if there is one thing I've learned over this year, it's that living for those that have gone before us is more respectful to the dead than dwelling in their shade . . . I think Kakashi is learning that as well, even if he'll never admit it . . ."

Her voice was hesitant, unsure of how Saki would take her meaning. When she didn't move except to stop and listen, looking contemplative, the younger kunoichi continued, "I don't think he would have wanted you give up all hope of ever loving someone else, or at least forming some sort of relationship. No ninja is an island after all."

There was a small snort of laughter from the sword-wielder at that small piece of wisdom. It made sense for those words to be coming out of Sakura's mouth, especially given how she had cracked the Copy Ninja's hardened exterior. Living for the dead . . . it was an interesting idea, even if it would not cure her of her habitual trips to the memorial. Still, it gave her a small amount of hope for the future. "Thank you," she said softly as a smile crept onto her face, "I think . . . I will consider it, but . . . maybe not with Takeo."

"Why not? The man is wonderful to look at," Sakura said with a grin, before it occurred to her, "Unless he's already taken . . ."

"He isn't."

"Then what are you waiting for, an invitation?"

"It isn't like that, Sakura. Given his abilities, I doubt he's a one lover only kind of man," Saki said cryptically with a smirk on her lips, "I'm sure you know Genma's reputation, right?"

This time it was the younger woman's turn to snort in laughter, "Who hasn't?"

"Well, if Takeo was more social, they'd probably be rivals given what he can do."

"You're being awfully mysterious about him. What exactly can he do anyway?" Sakura just had to know, glancing back in the direction the men had gone. Suddenly, she felt a little worried for Kakashi. The smirk on Sasaki's face turned into a big grin, "Let's just say he knows a jutsu that can charm the pants off of anyone, he just can't share it."

She blinked, noticing the lack of gender-specific descriptions, "Any 'one'? Is it that effective? Maybe it's genjutsu? It can't be real can it? An illusion?"

"It's ninjustu, and very much real. I don't know anything else, only that it's very potent. Two missions ago was the first time we saw him in action like that. Our target, a man, was practically crawling all over Takeo by the time we came to assist. The guy wasn't freaked out about another man kissing him like you'd expect though. When we told our target what he had done during the interrogation, he caved faster than a lopsided house in a monsoon," Sasaki said while watching Sakura gawk at her.

She smirked back, not believing it either originally until seeing it happen. It was . . . educational to say the least, seeing two men kissing and moments away from shedding clothes. She hadn't been alone in the surprise either as she remembered how big Kakashi's single eye had gotten when they had arrived to see their target too well in hand. He recovered quick enough to knock their target out with the sharingan, but he'd kept his distance from the other male ninja since. Sakura's green eyes looked similarly surprised like her significant other's had been, "Does that mean he's . . . ?"

"No, he prefers women, or so he says . . ." she said while trying not to think about that part, "I suppose he just does what needs to be done, like someone else we know."

That thought brought a smile to Sakura's face, "The more I grow up, the more I realize every shinobi in Konoha is a pervert in one way or another."

"Some more obvious than others."

"I wonder what Kakashi would look like with a few strategic cuts in all that nice, tight black material . . ." she mused out loud as she paused in stretching, sitting on the grass. Sasaki snorted in laughter at the image in her head, "Daydream later. You should be more worried about your sword-work. I'm not going easy on you."

Getting up again, Sakura sighed, "Alright, let get this beating over with."

* * *

A few hours of much clashing steel later, the two women had flopped down exhausted by one of the trees just as the men emerged into the clearing. They looked worse for wear than when they had departed, the long-haired man especially, but that was almost to be expected when sparing the Copy-nin. Sakura smirked, knowing how much Kakashi liked to outclass everyone placed under him. As expected as well, his mismatched eyes lingered over the large pieces of black knit missing in her clothes, "I take it you lost the battle?"

He wore a licentious grin under the mask, which caused the kunoichi's pink lips to quiver and her words to stammer as she thought of a reply, "Well, ah, you see, um, it was because . . ."

His grin only widened. It didn't seem necessary to come up with an excuse as Sakura sighed, "Yeah, I guess I did lose, huh?"

Kakashi reached over and ruffled her strawberry-pink locks with a chuckle, "Just leaves more for me to look at."

"Pervert," she muttered back as her mouth quirked into a smile, brushing away the hand on her head, "You're not the only one looking either."

Sasaki tried not to grin while pointedly ignoring the two lovers, looking up at Takeo instead. He was apparently bird watching while gazing at the sky, "I think I see a sparrow."

Kakashi's grin turned into a frown, settling back down to business, "Training's over for today. Everyone's dismissed except you, Sasaki, need to have a word with you a moment. I'll see you at home, Sakura."

From his serious tone of voice, she wasn't about to argue as she got to her feet. Hazarding a quick kiss on his fabric-covered cheek, she then turned and waved before walking towards the building. Takeo waved too with one last glance at the purple-haired kunoichi before walking a few paces behind the other ninja. Once they were gone, Kakashi relaxed back against the rough tree truck, watching the swath of pink hair disappear in the distance. After a long moment, he finally asked, "How was she today?"

Sasaki almost didn't have the heart to tell him the truth, almost. "She's bad," she said, putting it as bluntly as a sap to the back of the head, "I didn't think it was possible for her to get worse, but she has. I thought there was a glimmer of hope that she was getting better when I was teaching her, but after a year of no practice . . . It would take me all two months of leave to get her anywhere decent."

He winced at the assessment, frowning more. She had been so hopeful in learning to use the ninja-to when she joined ANBU, and he'd been too distracted by her to notice how she'd failed miserably at it. "Think maybe I skipped a few lessons in martial weapons before I turned her over to your mentoring?" he asked, rubbing the bottom of his chin thoughtfully.

"Captain, are you second guessing yourself?" she asked, sounding highly amused that he was indeed doubting himself.

"Maybe I am, humor me though."

"I do think it was hasty of you to just throw her at me and say teach . . . and it wasn't any encouragement for her that I'm more trained in it than she is . . ." she trailed off to look back at him. His headband had slipped back into place over his red eye till all she could see was a single flicker of thought in the other. Her brow furrowed together as she asked the inevitable, "What are you thinking, Captain?"

"I'm wondering where I put my own sword . . ."

The meaning of his statement grasped her immediately.

"You? Train her yourself? Why?" she asked till her mouth dropped open, remember the conversation from earlier as she grinned mischievously at him, "You really are one sick puppy, Kakashi."

His eye rolled up towards the treetops.

"I get one nosebleed and everyone assumes I have a torn clothes fetish now," he said with a smirk, "If anything, my bibliophilic tastes run stronger. This is beside the point. She needs training. You're too good to provide it, so . . . I owe her some personal training time."

"That sounds like guilt talking."

"It is. I practically ignored her when she was genin, and look where it got me . . . might as well make it up to her," Kakashi said with a small smile, "But what am I going to do with you and the preening pretty-boy?"

"Do what you always do with us, make us spar," Sasaki offered with a small smile of her own.

"You sure? You're fine with that?"

"Of course, why wouldn't I be? Takeo isn't as powerful as you remember. It'll be a relief not to get my head handed to me on a daily basis."

"But his skills are infinitely more personal, and potent, if he chooses to use them without me about to stop him . . ." Kakashi argued with a growing frown, "And Sakura's presence signifies the end of my self-imposed anti-fraternization rules too. I'm not blind, Sasaki. You've been looking at him, only more deviously. I won't say anything out of hypocrisy, but . . . don't be stupid, please?"

A teasing grin crossed her lips, "Why, Captain, I didn't know you cared?"

"Normally, I don't give a shit at all, but . . ."

Her grin only widened, "You are going soft."

Kakashi snorted in denial, "Don't be ridiculous. If there's anything soft left in me, it's all Sakura's."

"You've made your point. Stop talking to me and go home to her. I'm sure you have lesson plans to draw up and a sword to find."

No sooner than her words had finished when there was the sound of a poof and a cloud of smoke. And so, he was gone. Smiling to herself again, Sasaki pushed off of the tree and ground to stand back up. She had to admit that Takeo had intrigued her since he was assigned to the team. Sakura's questioning of her about him only seemed to highlight how little she did know. Even if there was nothing there, at least she could get to know him better. And she wouldn't have to put up with two months of the lovebirds' sappy moments before, during, and after training. Perhaps this would turn out better than she thought after all.

* * *

To Be Continued in Lesson 01 of The Way of the Sword, The Hips Don't Lie. 


	2. The Hips Don't Lie

The Way of the Sword

A Naruto fanfiction, By Serenanna

Lesson 01 – The Hips Don't Lie

Warnings and Disclaimers: I don't own Naruto or any of the characters. I'm just borrowing them to play with. I'll return them later, promise. There is adult content, and sexual situations in this story involving sharp, pointy objects. So, if you're under 18, leave now before your virgin eyes are scarred forever, if you're over 18, enjoy!

Story Notes: This is a Kakashi/Sakura fic, while other pairings may come and go. Yeah, I know, I've gone to the dark side of not sticking to canon like I usually do, and boy was it good on the way over! This story is a continuation of Ronsmyhero's Respect and Understanding. Reading that fic is a good idea in order to understand this one, but I will try to gloss over the important stuff. It is being written with her knowledge and stamp of approval. In case she ever makes her own sequel, this is an AU take then. I know a fanfic of a fanfic probably isn't a good idea, but I'm giving it a whirl. Ronsmyhero, this is in honor of you. To that end, I am making an OC to be Yajima's replacement, and the way this story is shaping, he will be paired with Sasaki. Outside of the basics of the Naruto world, I'm a complete newbie. If this fic breaks a lot of canon as far as the combat goes, I'm sorry. The style of sword combat I'm going with will try to be semi-realistic. If that's against canon, again, I'm sorry. I'm trying here. I don't know how long this'll run. Hell, I don't even know how long I can stretch out this plot or even if it has a point. Eventually it will have a point, I think. We'll see. Lemons of various shapes and sizes will abound along with mild drama, angst, buckets of humor, raunchiness, fluff, and action. This is your fair warning.

* * *

It was early in the morning the following day when Sakura made it back to the training grounds behind the ANBU Headquarters. It was much too early for this as a scowl marred her high forehead. She was dressed and equipped by eight that morning only because Kakashi had awakened her. Well, not so much awakened her but left a note on his pillow and set the alarm clock for seven. His new habit of leaving the house before she was even conscious was becoming annoying since she enjoyed waking up with his strong arms draped over her. And as if the note that he had left wasn't troublesome enough, the instructions he left on it made her both curious and anxious. That wasn't a good condition to leave her in.

She was suppose to meet him at half past eight in her normal uniform along with a packed lunch, extra bottles of water, another spare uniform, and her sword. He hadn't said to pack light, so it wasn't a trip he had planned, and he had underlined 'sword', twice. Sighing, she took a seat on a spot of grass while pondering why her sword was suddenly so important. Maybe she should have told him that she wasn't interesting in training with it anymore. Then maybe she could enjoy their leave a little more with fewer angry cuts needing healing. Leaning back on the palms of her hands, the pink-haired kunoichi closed her emerald eyes, listening to the breeze around her as her thoughts drifted.

It hadn't felt like leave with how much she'd worked the day before, and even that night Kakashi had been . . . distracted. It was the kind of distracted that didn't involve her. Perhaps she should have been angry with him, but oddly enough, she wasn't. If he wanted to root around their weapon locker for an hour or so, that was his business. It wasn't like she could help in that small of space, and when she had offered, he'd warded her off from peeking. At least he wasn't reading. "Thank Kami-sama for small favors," she muttered to herself before turning towards her sword.

Idly, her fingers traces the rose quartz inlaid on the ebony sheath in pattern that resembled trailing cherry blossoms. Why didn't they just tattoo her name on it? It didn't matter though since it was still a beautiful sword. The fittings were all in silver plated steel from the cross-guard to the counter balance. There were even tiny rose quartz dragon charms on the ivory hilt that acted at grips for her hands under black braided cord wrapped over top. Sitting up again, she slowly pulled the short blade from the sheath, examining it in the sunlight. All along the sharp edge of the straight length was a faint wave in the metal. It was soothing the longer she looked at it, watching the way the morning light gleamed on the steel. This weapon belonged in the hands of a master, not a novice like her. It was almost a pity to give it up, but if she was never going to be good at it . . .

She jumped as there was a 'poof' behind her, slamming the sword back in the sheath as she looked around. The breath she held came out in a slow exhale as she looked straight up to see silver hair bent over her, blocking the sunlight, "Yo."

"You're early?" she asked as a grin beamed across her face. Inner Sakura was too busy dying of shock to notice the actual time. Kakashi smirked under face mask, dropping the small pack he carried next to her, "I'm not early, and you're somewhat late."

"But you're on time then! I didn't have to wait hours! I think I'm feeling faint," she said, fanning herself with a jittery hand in theatrics. A sandaled foot kicked her armored shin as he passed around in front, prompting a giggle from her. Sakura didn't move, watching as he turned his back to her and started fiddling with a short sword strapped onto the back of his vest. The scabbard was ebony inlaid with ivory in the pattern of a pack of dogs that matched the pommel. There was no hand guard at all on the blade while the hilt was wrapped in white braided cord over onyx. He never wore a sword before, yet she knew he had at least two after spying the weapons in a box when he moved in.

Experimentally, the ninja drew the blade. With a smooth flip of his wrist, Kakashi idly spun the weapon over the back of his glove and into his grip again. After the third flip, he sheathed it again with a grunt of satisfaction as Sakura's eyes widened. The thought hadn't occurred to her before that her lover actually knew how to use the sword till she was suddenly watching him handle it as well as he handled everything else, masterfully. The sight was as stimulating as it was unusual, for Kakashi at least. And sexy as hell, Inner Sakura added with an approving nod. What else did he have hidden away? One could only wonder. Her curiosity was getting the better of her as a pink eyebrow arched up, "Why do I have a feeling there's a secondary reason you told me to grab a second uniform?"

"Change in plans, cherry blossom," He said as he grabbed his pack again along with her bundle of clothes and food, "Just you and me today, and a whole lot of training."

She blinked as he started to walk off deeper into the forest. The kunoichi sprung to her feet, sword in hand while running after him. She skidded in her step till she was walking at his shoulder, bent over slightly to look up at his face, "You're training me now? Alone? What about Sasaki? I thought-."

"I . . . was wrong," he grounded out through his teeth, sounding pain. Sakura's green eyes shot wide open. Was she dreaming? Did the Great Copy Ninja and former scourge of her younger years just admit he was wrong? Inner Sakura prodded her that it was perhaps best to double check that he'd actually said that. "I don't think I heard that right, could you say it again? Please?" she asked smiling sweetly at him.

"Sakura . . . You heard me the first time," he said with a scowl, grumbling as he continued, "Apparently, you never got proper martial weapons training, and fumbled your way through it with Sasaki because I ordered her to teach you. I intend to solve that that problem by teaching you myself, the right way."

"I've never seen you use a sword before . . ."

"I did the first time I was in ANBU, wasn't half-bad with them actually. I probably could have given Sasaki a run for her money in my prime, but it's been a few years now . . ." Kakashi admitted as they walked leisurely through the trees, "I just never went back to it after learning so much of everything else."

"So you're rusty?"

"I'm not rusty," he said as his scowl was back, obviously annoyed, "Sword fighting is like all skills, once you learn, properly, you never forget . . . just out of practice, like you."

"But why are 'you' training me then? It's been a while since, well, since you gave anyone one on one instruction, least of all me."

"Maybe it's an excuse to selectively remove your clothes?" Kakashi grinned, obviously teasing as his eye creased. The blush on the kunoichi's face made him chuckle. All these months and she still blushed as soon as sex was involved. Then again, few people in his experience didn't get silly about that particular topic once it was mentioned. Her mouth moved, and he could just hear the word 'pervert' about to slip from her lips before he cut her off, "We both need training in it, so I might as well help you while helping myself. Besides . . . if I really wanted you naked, there are more persuasive methods, like . . ."

He decided to let the suggestion linger in the air between them, enjoying the delicate rosy blush all over her skin too much to ruin it by really being perverted. And yet the more he thought about those extra-curricular activities, the greater the temptation was to forgo training for one day. His self-control slammed the door shut to those thoughts before they developed into actions. There would be time for that later if she didn't surprise him once more and lay him flat on his back. If he'd learned anything about the young woman next to him in their time together since she applied to ANBU, it was not to underestimate her will to get what she wanted. To do otherwise usually had dire consequences in terms of bodily harm and embarrassment. The sound of her voice broke off his thoughts as she asked, "This doesn't have to do with guilt over not teaching me much as a genin, does it?"

He felt like cringing. Did she have to say it so bluntly? It made him feel even guiltier because it was the honest truth.

"I . . . can't say that isn't true exactly, but it's not the whole of my reasons . . ." Kakashi said, trying to skirt around the issue, "It just makes it easier for everyone to do it this way. Besides, I thought you wanted to spend more time with me anyway?"

"Yes, but fighting one another during that time wasn't what I meant . . ." she said, trying not to sound disappointed. No she wasn't disappointed, really, she did want to spend more time with him. Inner Sakura was the one with all those thoughts about quality time with Kakashi involving more intimate forms of fighting. It was with a regretful sigh that she had to put those mental images aside and settle for watching him move past her to climb over a fallen log. At least getting to watch his ass in tight black pants made up for it. "Those, those are coming off later . . ." she muttered to herself, grinning.

"What was that?"

"Um, nothing," she said, smiling sweetly. Glancing over his shoulder at her, Kakashi didn't buy it for a minute. Regardless, they didn't stop walking through the underbrush of the forest. Sakura had fallen silent, watching the sunlight through the trees instead of him as they passed till she asked suddenly, "Why did you leave ANBU the first time, anyway? And why did you go back? It seems . . . like you liked it if you went back to it, I never understood why."

It was Kakahi's turn to fall silent as he considered her questions till he said eventually, "I'll tell you later, but . . . you should be able to guess the answer to the second question of why I went back . . ."

"Oh . . ." Sakura said softly, trying not to wince. She should have thought of that before, that he'd gone back to ANBU after failing as their teacher . . . more specifically, and poignantly, after failing as Sasuke's teacher. It made absolute sense since she'd gone back to training under Tsunade afterwards while Naruto had gone back to Jiraiya as well. Was it guilt that made him risk his life so much? That was one part of his personality she couldn't put past him at all. His capacity to punish himself out of guilt was about as super-human as his abilities as a ninja. Wasn't that why he tried to push her away the first time? Guilt that he couldn't give her what he thought she wanted in life? Oh, was he ever wrong about that, Inner Sakura added with a smirk. He was such an idiot sometimes when it came to relationships, she thought, bringing a gentle smile to her lips. "You know . . ." she started to say, trailing off as she stopped walking.

Kakashi stopped as well, glancing over his shoulder at her as she continued, "You weren't that bad of a teacher, even if you didn't teach me too much on your own. Thinking back on it, you did the best you could when they threw us at you, and who could have predicted how it would have turned out otherwise? I'm glad you were our teacher, so . . . thank you . . ."

For a moment, his mouth had dropped open under the mask in surprise before it snapped shut again. So, she did understand after all, and it made his heart want to burst with pride. Slowly, a grin wavered on his lips that he fought down till it turned into a smirk, his eye creasing happily, "Thank you as well, Sakura, but I'm still going to train you, hard, so get moving. We don't have all day."

He continued walking, picking up the pace a little as she had to run again to keep up, "Ever the hardass, aren't you? Even on leave you're all work, work, work."

The hidden smirk turned into a grin, his reply much too happy to be anything but teasing, "But you still love me anyway, my little cherry blossom, hard ass and all."

Inner Sakura popped up again, wondering if he knew where he was looking when he said that.

She burst out laughing at her own internal joke, staggering away from him before she fell over from the giggles. Kakashi smiled at her, knowing it was probably going to be the last time she was happy with him till they were done training. Eventually they made their way into another clearing, one that was more secluded than their usual grounds just outside Headquarters. She'd gotten her giddy side under control enough not to rock back and forth on the balls of her heels like she used to do while watching him put their things down under a tree. When he returned, her sheath was slipped into the holster on the back of her vest. The straight blade was in her hands, tapping against her leg while pointed towards the ground.

It was exceedingly annoying as his brow furrowed. "First rule, never draw a weapon unless you intend to use it, especially swords," he said as his eyes fixed onto the tap, tap, tap sound she was making.

She stopped fidgeting, standing up straighter while under his scrutiny. The humor had evaporated from around him, the scary side setting in. Regardless of the new nervousness creeping along her back, he smiled, his eyes creasing, "That's better. Swords are meant to kill someone, so don't forget it. Second rule, stance, what did Sasaki teach you?"

Instinctively, Sakura turned sideways slightly, one foot held in front of the other as she pointed the blade towards him. For a moment, Kakashi seemed pleased till she followed his eye down her legs to her feet. He sighed, moving behind her, "Saki can get away with that because her style is different, relying more on the draw, but not you. You're learning basic."

Without any warning, his hands found their way to her hips, making her jump in surprise. She tried to bat his fingers away, slapping the back of his gloves while he forced her legs open, "What do you think you're doing?!"

"Turn your hip, damnit, and stop thinking I'm a pervert!" he snapped at her as she jumped to comply. His foot nudged her back leg, turning it until she stood almost completely sideways except for her shoulders and front foot. He then pushed her hips down till she was forced to crouch slightly with a widened stance. "There," Kakashi said, satisfied as he returned to standing in front of her, "Keep your front foot facing your enemy and the rest of your body as slim as possible. You want to be as small a target as you can be. Stay crouched and ready to move. All a sword has to do is reach you to hurt you in a slice, so stay out of the way as much as possible. Sword fighting isn't taijutsu, so don't hold your ground even while defending. It isn't worth it. That's the third rule, keep moving. Now . . ."

With a sudden movement, his sword was drawn and in his hand, blades crossed while his stance mirrored hers. Sakura's heart leapt in her throat as she looked into his eye. He was serious about this. Her eyes dropped to his feet like they always did now in one on one matches, waiting for him to make the first strike. And yet, it never came. "Where are you looking?" he asked after a long moment, his stance more relaxed.

"Your feet, why?"

"That may work for hand to hand matches, but it doesn't work for weapons. Fourth rule . . . watch your opponent's hips."

The color in Sakura's face rose up enough to match her hair, "Are you telling me to look there!? But Lee said-!"

"I said hips, not crotch. And they call me the pervert," he said with a smirk as her blush deepened. She did bring up a valid point though as he continued, "And when was the last time Lee's mentor beat me in anything combat related?"

Sakura didn't answer since she had no clue at all.

"I didn't think so. Gai's protégé isn't too far off, feet are a start. But, an enemy's hips don't lie about their movement. They'll shift first if your opponent changes direction, which goes back to the third rule."

"Keep moving, I got that point. No wonder Saki always looks like she's dancing when she's fighting."

The analogy brought a grin to Kakashi's face under the mask, "Sword fighting is part dance. It'll probably be the closest we ever get to it, so you better enjoy these sessions."

"You don't dance?" Sakura asked while grinning as well, "I thought it was good for balance, and agility?"

"No, I don't, at least not formally. The tights scared me too much, gave me horrible flashbacks of green monstrosities."

Sakura laughed, nearly dropping her sword arm, and then grinned, "At least you can do the horizontal mambo well enough."

Kakashi's grin quickly turned into a frown as she laughed harder. She was distracting him before he could even finish his mock-lecture. This was troublesome. "You're digressing. The point is to watch the hips, no matter how uncomfortable it makes you feel."

"Yes, Kakashi-sensei."

"Don't call me that."

She giggled at the annoyed gruff in his voice, knowing the term still got to him, "Make me, 'sensei'."

There was a defiant challenge in her green eyes, and it brought a smirk to his face. Apparently, he'd have to beat that word out of her after all. Well, this made training a lot more fun than simply reprimanding her. There was something about a confidant, playful Sakura that shot straight through his heart and right down to his . . . Kakashi's mind put a stop to that thought, reminding him that he was suppose to training her, again, not trying to find a way into her clothes. She giggled, and his brain went back to the lesson before she distracted him again, "If you're quite finished . . ."

"If you're finished staring, I am," she teased. He ignored it, asking instead, "Has Sasaki taught you how to use the armguards?"

"Huh?"

That sounded like a 'no' to him as he sighed, "You didn't think they were just for decorations did you? The bracers we wear are light metal plate like the gloves. You remember how I've blocked swords before using them?"

How could she forget when he fought against Zabuza? It was making sense. Didn't mean she'd let him know of her lapse in memory though, "I knew that! I'm not a complete idiot like Naruto, you know!"

"I never said you were, Sakura," Kakashi said as he smiled casually, causing a blush to creep over her face.

". . . Anything else?"

"No jutsus today, or chakra."

"None? But . . ."

"This is just the first lesson. When you can handle both at once, we'll work on it. Besides, I thought you like a realistic chance at beating me."

Her interest was suddenly piqued. A chance to beat the Copy-nin one on one? Like an ordinary person? Something like that only came once in a blue moon, even if he was handicapping the both of them, "Fine, but no using the sharingan then."

"Then no blasting me with chakra either. I hate that."

"But I thought you'd like it if I got to feed you again?" Sakura giggled as he scowled. She was distracting him again. Usually he got right to the point, but not today, which made his eyebrows knit together in annoyance. "Enough," he said as his eye narrowed on her, "We fight till one of us drops or disarms the other. Got it?"

"Got it . . . Kakashi-sensei," the teasing grin was back on her face. As his face darkened more, Sakura realized she was very much in trouble. Without warning, the silver-haired ninja lunged forward to stab her. Remembering Sasaki's lessons, she parried his strike upwards with a flick of the wrist before shuffling sideways on the grass. Her eyes fell to his hips, watching as he turned. It was enough warning to get her armored forearm up in time to block another shot. The impact reverberated through the plate, but she didn't feel any chakra in his strength. With a grunt, she pushed the Copy-nin back, swinging her sword forward. The blade swished upwards with a twist in her hand, and would have struck his chest if he hadn't leaped back. Instead, the tip of her sword sliced through the shoulder strap on his vest.

At the shocked look in his eye, Sakura grinned. That was easier than she thought. And yet, before she could enjoy the small victory, he struck back, going low. She leaped to the side as the slice brushed her clothes, taking out a small fragment of a pant leg. Gasping, the kunoichi barely recovered quickly enough to parry the second higher draw that would have swept across her chest. Throwing his aim wide with another shout and ringing of steel, she moved in to slash down. Kakashi's arm came up to catch the blow on his bracer, throwing her off as she stumbled to the side. With a squawk, Sakura nearly fell over till she felt him grab her middle, pulling her back against him. "You're not very graceful today," he said into her ear with a chuckle.

She blushed as her anger ratcheted up another notch, knowing there was a smug grin under his mask to match his tone of voice, "And you're too distracted."

Her elbow came back hard into the shinobi's ribs as he fell away from her with a 'oomph'. It was nothing more than a love tap, but it was enough to put Kakashi back on his guard, cursing himself for letting it drop. Rule number two, and his favorite, never let your guard down. Damn, why couldn't he think of that? No matter how much he loved her, they were still sparring. Unless he wanted to be humiliated even worse by his cherry blossom, he wouldn't make the same mistake again. Sakura spun around on her heel, beaming in victory, "We're not done yet, ninja! I will slice every scrap of fabric from you before I have my way with you! That is the only way to regain my lost honor!"

His thoughts of retribution ground to a complete halt.

"Icha Icha Tactics, volume two, page eighty," Kakashi said as a happy grin crept onto his face, remembering that scene in particular. It was Junko's sword fight with the vengeance-seeking kunoichi. Sakura memorized it? And she was using it to distract him again! Damned Ero-sennin and Icha Icha, and damn her for knowing his weakness! With a roar, he leapt forward again, the sword flashing as he struck high in chop that she deflected easily then in a low sweep as she skittered back towards the trees. He didn't let up, not even when his furious swipes forced Sakura's back into a tree. About to strike again, she spun away from the blow. The back of her uniform was not as lucky as the blade caught on her vest and tore the heavy material cleanly in half. Yelping as she tried to move away, her free hand flew to her back to find a wound that wasn't there, just shreds of fabric. She didn't remember that happening in the scene.

Before she could wonder, Kakashi's hand grabbed at the vest, or rather grabbed underneath as the battle was momentarily forgotten. There was a certain smugness in his voice that raised every pink hair on the back of her neck. The hand trying to grab her waist didn't help either, "If I remember correctly, the kunoichi lost that duel with Junko, among other things."

She twisted away from him, sliding out of the vest and cutting through the straps when it came down her sword arm. Hefting the garment overhead, Sakura flung it at the Copy-nin with her scabbard still attached. He had anticipated than already, bringing his sword up to bat the article away. What he didn't expect was that she'd use the opening to try and skewer his legs. He wished he didn't make the no jutsu rule for their duel as he moved out of the way rather ungainly with a hop. The edge of her blade caught outside of his pants though, sheering a large rent in them from mid-thigh to hip. Sakura turned around to see him staring at her, his dark eye large as he yelled, "I told you to watch the hips, not aim for them!"

Despite herself, she giggled till it was cut off by his sword swinging towards her. Focused on the battle again, she raised her arm to block it, pushing him off as she stabbed forward. Kakashi bent out of the way as his free hand shot out to grab the wrist of her sword arm. With a jerk, Sakura was pulled forward, closer to his arms and sword. She ducked and rolled away before he could grab her again then started to spring to her feet. The silver-haired ninja turned as well and angrily chopped downwards, catching her too quickly while she was still low. Falling back onto her rump as she blocked him, the kunoichi let instinct take over as she kicked at his legs. His hand caught her foot just as she thought, allowing her to press off and flip backwards till she was back on her feet.

Before she could orient herself completely, Kakashi's sword flashed before her. She barely dodged the blow, catching her shirt across the stomach in another rip. Ignoring it, she spun when his slice propelled him past her, giving her an opening as she chopped downward at his back. It would have hit if he hadn't brought the blade up over his back to parry. Growling, Sakura's sword locked against his as she brought her free hand up to reinforce her grip. He was stronger than her, even with both hands. Her sandals slide on the grass. She was never going to beat him like this unless she put chakra into her strikes. Damn his rules! The kunoichi's arms started to shake slightly as she held him off. She had to think fast. What else could she use? Her kunai were still strapped to her thigh, but so was his. What happened next in the duel in his books? Suddenly, her green eyes widened. "You forgot one thing about that duel," she ground out through her gritted teeth.

Turning to face her while keeping their blades crossed, the ninja looked at her curiously, trying to remember the rest of the scene she had quoted. What could he forget? He knew all those books by heart . . . almost. Junko won that one like every other supposed 'duel' with a woman, and always got his way with them in the end. What was his cherry blossom getting at? "What?" he asked as he scowled, trying not to sound as dumb as he felt, "He still won."

His eyes moved off her hips up to her face, looking into her green eyes before noticing the grin on her face. He knew that grin, the impish one that came over her whenever she was up to no good. Sakura's strength surged a moment as she pressed closer to him, one leg suddenly moving between his. All he could see was her eyes flickering with maddening mirth, like she'd already won. Kakashi growled back at her, but she wasn't even fazed by the noise. Her breath slid over his ear, a whisper, "But he lost his pants."

Now he remembered, the kunai that almost castrated Junko, "Oh, shit."

The ninja jumped up and away from her, but it was too late. As he moved, there was a tearing sound followed by a definite draft over his crotch. Sakura's eyes were glue downward on his body, the kunai twirling on her finger. She didn't? She couldn't have? But looking down, he knew that she had, and did, staring at the hole cut straight through his pants. "Shit . . ." Kakashi cursed, the battle completely forgotten now, "Am I ever glad you missed."

Sakura burst out laughing, lowering her sword slightly. Her eyes never left his exposed parts due to lack of underwear and not just missing bits of fabric, "Who says I missed?"

He looked back at her in shock from her words as she laughed even harder, slight bent over and wheezing for breath when she wasn't openly leering. Blinking, he then noticed that her guard was down. Rule number two again, never let your guard down, even in the face of naked enemies. For a moment, Kakashi grinned, figuring that while he may have lost the battle, the war was in the bag.

Moving before she could realize her mistake, and while her attention was on his naked crotch, he tackled her. Sakura shrieked, not expecting the forced hug at all as they toppled over. His body landed on top hers while her back hit the grass, and yet, he didn't crush her. The weapons had fallen from their hands but neither of them moved to grab their swords. He chuckled darkly, succumbing to the temptation of purposefully lying down on top of her. For a few seconds after the fall, all Sakura could feel was him above her, pressed into her hip. Wait a moment, why was he against her hips? It took her all of two moments of dazed thoughts to realize exactly which parts of the ninja were pressed against her, and exactly how aroused he was getting because of it.

"Ka-ka-shi!" she screamed, kicking furiously as she felt his hands pinning her arms to her side, "This isn't a time for-!"

"You're the one who cut the crotch out of my pants. I took it as a sign."

"You're the one who went without underwear! How was I to-?!"

"You've been staring all day, it was driving me crazy."

"And you haven't been too, you per-?!"

"Yes, but I wasn't distracted by it."

Kami-sama, he was right, he was a horrible distraction to her. She hated that he was always right. Even his staring at her like it was all her fault they ended up like this didn't help. The blood rushed to Sakura's face as she quickly turned a deeper shade of pink than her hair. His hips flex down, and the color only got stronger and purpler as she held her breath. The Great Copy Ninja groaned as she tried to wiggle out from under him, unconsciously hitting all the right places. His masked face nuzzled her neck, and she gasped, feeling the fabric roll down over his nose. She still fought him, just a little weaker now as his hands slid up to her shoulders. "Bastard . . ." Sakura grounded out as he chuckled.

"Let it go, Sakura, I am for one . . ."

She squirmed again, not about to give in . . . till his sticky fingers grasped a bound breast, fondling it. Inner Sakura raised her hands in defeat then fled. This time she was thoroughly alone in dealing with him. A moan was forced from her throat and his chuckle grew darker, "You know, I don't think we've ever done it while still in uniform."

The kunoichi squeaked, sounding not too unlike a trapped mouse, "And if we get caught!? The commander and Tsunade-sensei will have our heads!"

"We're shinobi. We do it quickly, quietly, and from behind," Kakashi said as his eye creased, looking more devilish than happy. Sakura's blush radiated pink all over her skin. That was a potent line, and vaguely familiar. "Didn't Genma say that before?" she asked before moaning as he placed cloth-covered kisses on the collar of her shirt.

He grinned, stopping long enough to pull his mask down completely, "Well, if it works . . ."

Sakura gasped then glared in righteous fury, shoving him off of her while beating his back and shoulder, "Never use that senbon-sucking freak's pick-up lines on me again, Hatake!"

He laughed as she tried to roll away from him, only managing to get onto her side when he grabbed her around the abdomen, hauling her back against him. "You're staying right here," Kakashi whispered in her ear as she froze.

Why did he have to use that tone of voice? The authoritative, seductive one that made her toes curls and her resistance crumble to dust? He knew it made her weak to him.

Succumbing to her fate, Sakura moaned, struggling in a different way as one gloved hand pulled at the tear in her black shirt while the other delved into her pants. She could feel his lips on her neck and jaw, kissing there when she really wanted that mouth on top of hers. His fingers quickly found their way past her underwear to her folds, touching her as she sucked in a sharp breath. The kunoichi arched her back into his chest, her hands searching for some part of him to cling onto. With a loud rip, her shirt was torn asunder up to her throat, the black fabric hanging limp across her torso. His kisses became a bite on her shoulder as his hand rubbed her center harder, making her twist and turn against his chest. He'd barely started and already she could feel the dampness covering the inside of her panties as well as his hand.

Sakura reached back into his grey hair, yanking away his forehead protector-cum-eye-patch. If it hurt, he didn't show it except to growl into the burning skin he nibbled on. Pulling her back tightly, his hips pressed incessantly into hers to alleviate some of the ache. He wanted nothing better than to rip her pants off as well and pound into her, but that was too easy. In things between them, he never wanted to do anything easy or lazy, a first for his habits. The tension of waiting thundered in his pulse, knowing she could feel how hard he was through the layers covering her still. His pink-haired lover shuddered as his fingers slid into her, knuckles bent to grasp the tender flesh. She fought to push more of herself onto his hand, the rough cloth of his gloves stroking her clit with each touch. Writhing, Sakura moaned his name breathlessly. At the sound of it, he knew he wasn't going to last long without going mad if he didn't have her.

Suddenly, the warmth of his chest on her back was gone, replaced with grass poking at her. His hands and lips touching her were gone too, leaving her wanting so much more. And yet, she wasn't disappointed for long as Kakashi leaned down, pressing between her legs again. Sakura's hands latched onto his silver hair as he kissed her deeply, intent on possessing as much of her mouth as he could claim. Whining slightly into his lips, she wished she'd cut more of his vest off, the bulky material chaffing against her skin. It was coming off now one way or another. Pulling hard on the straps, the entire side came loose under her fingers with a snap. Wordlessly, the ninja pulled away and sat up on the back of his legs to slip the cloth armor over his head, tossing it aside with a dull thud in the grass. Before he could stop her, Sakura's greedy hands lifted the tight black shirt with attached mask he wore underneath to kiss his chest. Her lips on the exposed skin stopped him from even thinking, holding her to him.

The kunoichi pushed him back till he toppled over, retaliating by dragging her back down with him. Kakashi groaned as her mouth latched onto a nipple, not about to argue if she wanted her way for now. He wanted her, but this, this was just as good, if he could survive whatever she did to him. How she'd learned so much on how to please him, he'd probably never know. Maybe it was because he couldn't keep his hands off of her between missions, or Icha Icha's fault. But as her teeth grazed his skin then stopped to suck, the only thing he could think about was fire in his blood and how quickly it burned through for her. It never was easy just being around her, not after wanting her so much, and now having her.

Sakura slid her gloved hands down over Kakashi's abdomen, making him hiss as the harden ridges of muscles sprung into definition under her fingers with each breath he took. Sakura grinned against his chest, possessiveness dancing in her green eyes as she watched him squirm under her. To think for all those years how he'd kept that hard, if a bit scarred, body under the wraps of a shapeless jounin uniform, letting only a select few women see it for one time only. Now, the view was all hers alone. The thought alone sent as much of a pleasurable thrill through her as his touch. He really was turning her into a pervert. Moaning, she sunk lower, kissing his stomach as he laid practically paralyzed. Her hands brushed over his hips, making him almost jump in anticipation of being touched.

The Copy-nin's mismatched eyes squinted shut as her hand wrapped over him, choking back another rumble from deep in his chest. She was so glad she decided to cut this particular hole in his pants. Firmly, Sakura moved the skin back and forth over his length, eliciting groans from him that sounded almost against his will. His hips tried to press up in her grip, sweat growing on his skin till his silver hair started to stick to his brow. Kakashi was nearly shaking as she nibbled on his stomach, her tongue dipping into his navel. Oh was she ever glad he taught her how he liked to be touched, harder and firmer than she expected, but his reactions were worth the effort. This had to be the height of power, watching one of the greatest ninja's Konoha ever produced slowly losing control of himself because of her. His hands, which had been tearing at the grass to vent his frustrations, pulled on her strawberry pink hair, forcing her to meet his eyes, "Sakura . . ."

He didn't have to say anything else to get his point across. He needed her, now, or at least as fast as she could ditch their clothes. Sakura sat up and let go of him while he tried to get up as well. And yet, her hands stopped him rising must further than onto his elbows, gathering the material of his pants in her petite fists instead, "You're too over dressed for this."

He felt it, a subtle flow of chakra to her hands, and then a sharp yank.

The ripping sound was horrendous as the black fabric gave way under her strength, helped by the large tears her sword had already made in the material. As the remains fell from her hands, Kakashi stared in shock, finding his voice was somewhere long gone with any coherent thought. He probably should have been afraid of how easily she'd torn through his pants, but his body had the complete opposite reaction, as if it was possible to want her any more. The same reaction went through Sakura as well as she started pulling at her own clothes, only to be stopped when he grabbed her.

Well, the silver-haired ninjas didn't so much grab her as he did pounce and tumble till she ended back up where they started, flat on her back in the grass. He was pressed against her once more, making her shudder. She could feel his hardness against her center, only this time more acutely aware of the barriers between them. When he started to move, she wanted to wish away all the layers of clothes, cursing herself for not undressing sooner before driving him this far. Maybe she could cut the rest off. Kunai, kunai, where were her kunai? That was a question she knew the answer too, just too preoccupied as he kissed her roughly to think on it for more than a sliver of a moment. They were strapped to her thigh still. She could feel the straps rubbing into his leg. Moaning, she tried to reach for one only to have her hands grabbed and forced to the dirt above her head. "Damnit, can't wait," Kakashi ground out between heavy breaths, "Trust me . . . just, move."

Guess he wasn't that interested in pulling off more of her clothes or stopping after all as his hips ground into hers. She did as he asked, trusting him. His grip on her arms broke with a grunt, holding himself above her instead while one hand guided her hips. She was almost beside herself. Even her inner self couldn't explain what she was feeling. It felt so close to feeling him inside her, but . . . not. He had to know what he was doing to her, the constant friction as maddening as it was delicious. Each thrust against Sakura made her cling to him more desperately, crying out into the fabric of his shirt and half-bare chest. She arched under him, struggling against the wave of heat blazing in her center. Her gloved hands tore at his back, the effect of her nails deadened. Kakashi hissed at the scraping yet was undeterred, sweat rolling off them both to add to the potent scent in the air. She was soaking wet. He could feel the slickness seep through the fabric and onto his loins, making it easier to move faster and harder.

His cherry blossom just about screamed after a particularly aggressive grind, knowing he was pressed right into her folds and clit. Smartly, she bit his shoulder hard to muffle the sound, almost breaking skin. Like most pain, Kakashi ignored it completely, sole intent on remaining in check long enough to satisfy her. It was a matter of pride no matter how he ached for release, to never leave her anything but satisfied. Sakura wasn't making that task easy as she arched again, her hands grabbing his rear in retaliation. He nearly collapsed at the touch, but didn't stop moving, groaning as his head hit the ground next to hers. With a growl of effort, the ninja pushed harder to be rewarded in the sounds she made, half-drunk on the pleasure. He'd never get tired of hearing her voice calling just for him. She was close, feeling it in the shake of her hands and the hitch in her breath. But then again so was he, dangling by a wire waiting to be snapped. Kakashi kissed her again, quick and desperately, as one more thrust sent her over the edge.

Sakura this time did scream into his mouth, clenching tightly around him as she came. Her body arched on its own and at a terrible angle if he'd seen it, as if trying to melt with him in the heat. Not soon after, he joined her, burying similar cries in her delicate neck once he tore himself away from her lips. His seed sprayed over the black fabric covering her mound, mixing with the wetness already staining it. The grey-haired ninja barely stayed up on his elbows, feeling absolutely boneless while lying on top of his Sakura. That's right, she was his. There was such a nice ring to that word, 'his'. He wasn't going to get tired of repeating it any time soon, even if it was a word he said only to himself.

A possessive little grin came to Kakashi's lips while listening to her ragged breath and racing pulse slow down to something resembling normalcy. He probably wasn't much better. His grin only widened. This was by far the best idea for training he'd ever had in his lousy career as a sensei. Despite himself, he gave a small chuckle that stopped as soon as the pink-haired kunoichi stirred under him. "I can't feel my legs . . ." she moaned.

Not that he would ever admit it, but neither could he. It was a good thing she couldn't see his face at the moment as his grin was positively Naruto-stupid. Sobering up, and feeling the numbness fade away, Kakashi tried to get up, only to be pulled back down again, "No, stay."

"Sakura . . ." he started to say before giving in as she hugged his neck. He collapsed again, shifting enough not to crush her with his weight. His face nuzzled her neck with a groan, and she giggled, "You know . . . maybe we should try it with our clothes still on another time, that wasn't too bad."

He grinned, "You're corrupted."

"It's all your fault."

"I know. I wouldn't have it any other way," the ninja said as she giggled again, his face tickling her neck with kisses, "And that concludes the lesson for today . . ."

"Already?" Sakura asked, nearly whining. He put his head up, a look of disbelief across his face. Didn't she have enough? Ok, so maybe his self-control was lacking when he should have been training her, but still, she started it. Kakashi frowned at how childish that thought was, just imagining the words coming out of Naruto's mouth and not his. But well . . . it wasn't like they could keep training in tattered rags regardless of her enthusiasm.

"You ripped my pants off."

"You ripped my shirt wide open, we're even," she said as her arms loosened their grip, starting to wiggle out from under him with a sigh, "We're not going to do this every day are we? What about the rest of the squad? At least, I thought we'd have time to ourselves . . ."

She didn't get very far. The silver-haired shinobi pushed her back down, staring into her green eyes. Using the back of his fingers, he slid a damp lock of strawberry hair off of her face, "Don't think like that. This is still our leave. I'll . . . try to make it feel like it, if that's what you want."

He pressed a kiss against her temple, and the gesture brought a sweet smile to the kunoichi's face along with a slight blush, "I suppose training each day can't be too bad if we keep ending up like this . . . but no more ripping uniforms. The quartermaster will kill us if we need new clothes every couple of days, and these things aren't exactly ideal for summer weather."

"If we do keep ending up like this, I don't think I'll survive the month let alone two," Kakashi said, shifting stiffly against her while groaning, "Weekends off. I'll need it to re-cooperate, maybe curl up with a good book."

The back of her hand swatted his shoulder, but he didn't even flinch. He chuckled at the peevish expression on her face, frowning while pointedly ignoring his very existence. It was hard to do seeing as how he was still naked on top of her. The look was wiped from her face as his arms slid under her back, tightening in a hug. She sighed while his grin widened and his mismatched eyes creased. The look was almost an imitation of Naruto's childish expressions, but the ridiculousness was worth it. Sakura's anger softened.

Slowly, he was finding out her weaknesses, like how she couldn't stay mad at him for long when he acted this cute. Or, like how irresistible he looked just out of the shower or in uniform. It called for retaliation, not that it was even possible to find a weak point on the great Copy Ninja. Well . . . maybe there was one, herself. "You owe me at least three dates during this break, no excuses this time."

Kakashi's face fell, barely keeping from cringing at her ultimatum. Dates meant nights where they didn't stay at home, didn't eat at the Ichiraku with Naruto and Hinata, and didn't go drinking with the rest of their jounin friends. The dates themselves weren't the problem; his almost constant cancellations of them were. "It wasn't an excuse that I missed the last one since I wasn't even here to provide a reason. Tsunade-sama sent us out just as you were getting in. I barely had time to pack," he said, but she didn't look convinced at all.

"That's why you leave notes at least. I leave you letters before each mission if you aren't there, don't I? And you always read them. I know you keep them, but you never do the same for me."

"I know, I know, I . . . Well, it doesn't matter anymore, does it?" He asked, trying to hide his guilt.

Sakura sighed, rolling her eyes up towards the sky, "No, I suppose it doesn't since we're practically joined at the hip now, Captain."

"In more ways than one," he said with a smirk that made her giggle before continuing, "Three dates then, to make up for the last one I missed, and one night a week we're going to the bar, even if I have to drag you."

"Deal, but I get to sit on your lap."

"What are you, twelve again?"

"You never let me sit on your lap even when I was twelve," she said as Kakashi's face dissolved into a pained look. He groaned, banging his head in the grass as she laughed. "That wasn't funny, Sakura," he muttered, "I had enough trouble as it was back then with half the village thinking I was corrupting demon-spawn with my perverted ways, literally. Last thing I needed on my conscious was questions regarding your honor."

"Oh please, Jiraiya did a better job influencing Naruto's own perverted quirks than you could have ever dreamed. That is, if I believe Hinata's tales, not that I even wanted to hear them in the first place. I swear, one cup of sake in her, and she gushes enough about her Naruto-kun to make me blush. I'm almost glad he knocked her up again so all the kunoichi gatherings are non-alcoholic. It's amazing how Chouji broke down to Ino, married her, and got her pregnant too within a year. Pig's getting big almost as big as he is now, and so is Tenten too. Gai must be proud that he'll have a third generation of green wearing terrors to train. Even Temari said she was when she and Shika-kun were visiting last . . ."

She was rambling again, almost as bad as Ino. "But this is all moot, mind you," Sakura added after a moment, "Remember how you let me sit on you while you did push-ups? Like that wasn't mildly perverted in a way."

Kakashi tried not to grin but couldn't help it at the mention of the second spawn of Konoha's loudest, hyper-active, idiotic, and rapidly reproducing shinobi. It didn't surprise him at all that the Hyuuga's little princess was once more growing a child in her womb that would take on his former student's wonderful personality traits. Most of the kunoichi of her generation were well on the way to having kids, or at least somewhat settled down. And then there was the two of them. In a few months when her friends would be conversing about diapers, she'd be back on missions alongside him. Children . . . it was a good thing they agreed not to have them, but he couldn't help wondering . . .

But Sakura was right. His past point was moot, given their current relationship, and the push-ups. Now that he did think about it, it was kind of perverted having her lounging on his back while exercising, "You have a point there . . . You liked that?"

"Well . . . it gave me an impression of how strong you were . . ." Sakura said as a blush lit up across her face, "Which was really, really strong . . ."

The growing grin on Kakahi's face wavered between flattered and increasingly licentious at her admission. She could just tell he was getting an idea, and she knew it wasn't going to be a good one. The grin was getting to her as Inner Sakura reminded her that not only was he naked, but he was still an ass. "You never did answer me what you're going to do about the rest of our squad," she asked, deciding a change of subject was needed before his mind jumped tracks again, "I barely even know the new guy, Takeo."

"Good, I don't want you to 'know' him," he said with a tone that almost sounded jealous to her. Kakashi? Audibly jealous over her? Yeah, it was love alright. The thought brought a warm smile to Sakura's face, prompting her to pull him down for a kiss. She had meant it to be quick, and chaste, but he had other ideas. As soon as the kunoichi's lips touched his, he fell onto her, grasping her face in both hands to hold her still. The soft murmurs in the back of her throat were playing havoc with his thoughts again, knowing exactly where this was headed once more if they didn't stop. Torn, the ninja pulled away, panting. Sakura smiled under him, her emerald eyes dancing in delight, as if she knew a secret just begging to be shared. "You are jealous . . ." she sounded in awe, the smile only getting more brilliant.

Kakashi snorted in derision. Normally, the dazzling look on her face would have stopped him in his tracks, but it proved to be ineffective in the face of his would pride. "I am not jealous . . ." he said with a deep frown that nearly looked like a pout on his handsome face, "I just don't want you picking up his jutsu. I don't think Konoha could handle a kunoichi that possessed your beauty, his irresistible technique, and my more endearing qualities."

Her smile broke into a happy laugh, kissing him again before the scowl he wore through his small rant stuck. Slowly, he let it go along with letting her roll them over till she straddled his hips. She pulled away, sitting up with a smug look on her face while pointing a declaratory finger at him, "Liar."

"That I may be, but we both know the pretty-boy is taken by Sasaki, so whatever point you have is useless." Shifting under her, he seethed at little at the thought of the second male on their four man crew. Ever since Takeo was assigned to Dragon Team, he'd seen more than enough action from the long-haired man while on missions to fill a couple Icha Icha volumes. Why oh why couldn't he have been assigned someone less unusual in power, and missions more inclined towards violence. Battles he could handle with finesse, but undercover espionage work was not his forte. Dealing with someone who specialized in such a field wasn't his department either. Maybe Tsunade-sama was punishing him for nearly getting himself and his cherry blossom killed. He couldn't put it past the old woman to use that as an excuse to turn his screws a little.

"I don't like it," Kakashi said as his pink-haired lover slowly leaned down to settle herself against his chest, his shirt stuck under his armpits, "The Hokage must be purposefully turning Dragon Team into the Seduction Squad, probably out of revenge for my idiotic mistakes with you. It's a miracle the commander let me get you reassigned without her putting her foot down personally."

"Don't you think you're overestimating Tsunade-sensei just a little?"

"Overestimating the abilities and motives of the Godaime and a one of the Legendary Three Sannin, who just happens to be your beloved mentor? . . . I don't think that's possible, even for me," he said as she slapped his shoulder again, "Sakura . . ."

"Hey, you're the one that drilled me in team unity. I should get to know him, and from the way you sound, so should you . . . this is about the first time anything sexual in nature has gotten you remotely uncomfortable."

"Not true. My self-proclaimed rival shacking up with the trench coat wearing terror made me plenty uncomfortable just thinking about them," he protested as she dissolved into giggles, banging her head on his chest, "I am eternally grateful they split up months ago, or we'd have to endure more of them making out over too much sake. I almost think that whole affair happened over too much sake"

"We're no better."

"But at least we find shadowy corners, except that one time . . ."

"I heard Anko went back to random flirtations again. The latest is that she's stuck going back and forth between Genma and Iruka, especially the latter after he broke up with Ayame. So sad . . ."

"They need to be warned them before she screws them both over quite literally . . ."

"I didn't know you cared."

"I don't, but when it all crumbles, who are they going to drag out to drink their sorrows away? Not like Genma would need me much, three rounds of sake and he'll hit on anything remotely female."

He gave an aggravated growl at that thought, and she giggled again. It didn't seem like he could ever win with his choice of friends. Who needed enemies when he got enough torture from those he got drunk with? "Kakashi?" Sakura asked softly after going silent a few moments.

She was nestled quite well against his half-covered chest, her head at the bend of his neck. The sound of her voice propelled his thoughts back from wandering off. It was amazing how their conversations just rambled along sometimes without point. Maybe he was getting old and senile. "Kakashi?" she asked again, not so softly.

"Huh?"

"Thank you . . ."

"You're welcome."

He didn't have the slightest clue what so ever of how exactly he had earned her thanks, but accepted it all the same. In the few months they'd been together, he'd learned a lot about relationships with women, including that if they were happy not to question it. And with how tightly, Sakura was snuggled against him, she was very, very happy. "Kakashi?" she asked softly, the sound of her voice making him grin again.

"Huh?"

"You need a bath . . . and I'm hungry . . ."

His grin fell, even if she had a point. Groaning, he sat up with the young woman firmly latching onto his chest. Her grip didn't feel like it was going to break anytime soon. "I'm not carrying you home, Sakura," the ninja said, her powerful hold turning nearly suffocating at his words.

This was annoying, and troublesome, if a bit cute, "Let go or I'll apply the Sennen Goroshi no jutsu right up your ass."

The threat was useless he realized as soon as he'd said it, given she could render his arms useless without even thinking anymore. She wiggled against his body, almost daring him to try. His anger rose steadily, but dropped to nothing as she mumbled into his neck, ". . . love you, Ka-ka-shi."

It was his undoing; those simple words boosting his ego to profound heights, and making him feel like a complete fool at the same time. He was going soft, damnit. "Love you too, cherry blossom, we'll take the quick way home," he said, rubbing the back of her neck in reassurance, "Hold on tight."

Lifting her up as if she weighed nothing, Kakashi got to his feet with the kunoichi still clinging to his chest. He barely noticed the added weight at as he picked up their weapons, fallen clothing, and other items, including the uneaten lunch she'd made for them. Damn, what a waste. It probably tasted good too. "This isn't happening tomorrow, you know," the ninja said as he tried not to scowl when she giggled at him, "We train till we drop, or else. And no ending up in grassy heaps either."

"Tell me about it later, after I'm clean and fed."

"Spoiled brat," he muttered as she snuggled him happily. For a twenty-five year old woman, she did have her childish moments, reminding him immensely of the little girl he knew, but . . . he wouldn't have traded any part of her for the world. "Don't worry. I still need a bath toy," Sakura said with a muffled giggle.

His grin widened, slinging the pack over his shoulder, "I am the luckiest man in the world."

Moments later, they were gone from the glade with only a fall of cherry blossoms and wisps of smoke left to tell that anyone had been there at all.

* * *

Jutsus Used/Mentioned –

Sennen Goroshi (Thousand Years of Death)

To Be Continued in Lesson 02 of The Way of the Sword, Hell's Bells.


	3. Hell's Bells

The Way of the Sword

A Naruto fanfiction, By Serenanna

Lesson 02 – Hell's Bells

Warnings and Disclaimers: I don't own Naruto or any of the characters. I'm just borrowing them to play with. I'll return them later, promise. There is adult content, and sexual situations in this story involving sharp, pointy objects. So, if you're under 18, leave now before your virgin eyes are scarred forever, if you're over 18, enjoy!

Story Notes: This is a Kakashi/Sakura fic, while other pairings may come and go. Yeah, I know, I've gone to the dark side of not sticking to canon like I usually do, and boy was it good on the way over! This story is a continuation of Ronsmyhero's Respect and Understanding. Reading that fic is a good idea in order to understand this one, but I will try to gloss over the important stuff. It is being written with her knowledge and stamp of approval. In case she ever makes her own sequel, this is an AU take then. I know a fanfic of a fanfic probably isn't a good idea, but I'm giving it a whirl. Ronsmyhero, this is in honor of you. To that end, I am making an OC to be Yajima's replacement, and the way this story is shaping, he will be paired with Sasaki. Outside of the basics of the Naruto world, I'm a complete newbie. If this fic breaks a lot of canon as far as the combat goes, I'm sorry. The style of sword combat I'm going with will try to be semi-realistic. If that's against canon, again, I'm sorry. I'm trying here. I don't know how long this'll run. Hell, I don't even know how long I can stretch out this plot or even if it has a point. Eventually it will have a point, I think. We'll see. Lemons of various shapes and sizes will abound along with mild drama, angst, buckets of humor, raunchiness, fluff, and action. This is your fair warning.

* * *

Memorials are funny things. They only seemed to get bigger over time, crowded with names from the past. Her parents were on there, her mentor, some of her friends . . . her lover, Hayate . . . even team mates like Yajima. Gone, but not forgotten. It made her wonder if by the time her name was placed on the slab of stone if anyone would be left to remember her. Sasaki exhaled slowly, knowing that it was only loneliness that drove her depressing thoughts. It was hard to avoid them every time she paid homage to the dead at the memorial. She didn't know how the Captain did it, surviving, recovering, and being stronger than ever after losing so much, after nearly losing it all. It still tore at her some times, her loss, like a gaping wound that refused to do anything but bleed. Other times, it was numb, like winter ice on her hands. Maybe she wasn't as strong as she let everyone else believe.

But there were also times of hope too.

She never should have let herself believe Sakura's words of hope two days ago, foolish to believe it was possible. Living for the dead huh? Sasaki exhaled again, purposefully emptying her lungs as much as she could. No, how could she live for the dead after considering herself one of them for so long. All that mattered was her revenge on Baki, but even that satisfaction was taken from her. What hope was left? A frown marred her red lips, "Not much left to live for is there, Hayate, least of all without you around."

As much as he probably would have disagreed with her in life, in death his voice in her head was silent.

She exhaled then took in a deep breath. Sasaki wasn't frowning any more, but she wasn't smiling either. Whether she liked it or not, she had to meet Takeo for their daily match. Captain's orders, even if he wasn't there to observe. Given his new lessons to his cherry blossom, she didn't expect to see their captain again for a good long while. Training was good. She could take out her pain on a target and no one would be the wiser. The beautiful man was a good target too, hard to hit, which only built up her aggression. Everything else about him didn't matter, no matter how much she did like looking at his finer features. But . . . she supposed eventually his mysterious shell would crack, maybe. Maybe he was friendly and eager like Yajima had been, despite his reputation. Or maybe not as Takeo didn't seem the type. He was too placid compared to the way the wire-user had been.

Turning around, she walked back across the grass, her hands moving in a set of seals. With a swirl of wind, she was gone.

* * *

"I thought we were going for practice, Kakashi, not a hike," Sakura groused, scowling at his back, "You're being awfully mysterious today, no uniforms, new training ground outside the walls . . . I know you too well to know that you're hiding something."

"Think what you like, Sakura, but once we get there, you'll understand," the grey-haired ninja said as he jumped down from another boulder like it was nothing but a pebble in his path. She scowled, wondering how he made it look so easy. He still slouched slightly wherever he walked, his hands firmly in his pockets. At least today he had pockets, dressed in an old pair of navy blue jounin pants one size too big, leg wraps, sandals, sleeveless black shirt with attached mask, gloves, and bracers. His sword was strapped across his back, rigged in a black leather harness with the lack of their usual ANBU vest's convenient strapping.

Like he told her when they'd set out after lunch, she wore the worst clothes she had, knowing he'd slice them apart before the end of training. It was a good thing no one was around to see her in the tight red tank top and black knit shorts since it looked rather ridiculous with her tall, boot-like sandals, long gloves and bracers. Her own blade was rigged onto her back similar to his, only with black nylon rope instead. Inner Sakura sighed over her appearance for her. So much for style, at least the cord suited its purpose as an impromptu harness. Scrambling over the rock, she hit the ground next to him in a crouch, spring back to her feet quickly despite the rough landing. "Trees would have been a smoother form of travel you know," she said, hopping along the rocky ground after him.

Kakashi led her down a short dirt path carved through the hillside then down another set of boulders and through a line of trees till they were standing in a small meadow. The kunoichi was used to nature in all their travels, but the sight of where the ninja had brought her made her jaw drop. Wildflowers in all colors and varieties grew along the tall grasses, nearly lost in the underbrush that grew to about her thigh. If she didn't know any better, she would have thought they stumbled onto one of Ino's secret gardens that fed the flower shop, but she's seen the Yamanaka Clan's hot houses to know the difference. Wild purple irises were not a flower Pig used too often enough to need a whole field of them like the one before her. She stopped in awe, taking in the beauty before her to not notice how her partner had moved behind her shoulder. "How come no one's ever been here before?" she asked, and he chuckled.

"I found it one day on the way back from a mission. It's kind of out of the way for quick training, but I thought the sight alone for today would be worth the trip," Kakashi explained, grinning under the mask at her reaction. He knew the sight of the field of flowers would have this effect on her. Hopefully, it would make up for today's lesson. "Ready?" he asked while moving into the center of the field.

Sakura nodded, throwing aside the spare pack she brought for the trip with water and spare clothes just in case. Facing across from the ninja, she drew her sword, and waited. The day before they'd sparred all day long, no chakra, no jutsus, and in smaller bouts again and again till they were exhausted. Shockingly, they had managed to go the whole time without wanting to pull each other clothes off. He hadn't lectured her, and only criticized her grip on the blade until she got better at handling it. Progress was being made, she supposed, even if she didn't beat Kakashi in any of the rounds. "What are we doing today? More sparring?" she asked while noticing him fiddle with the pouch on his back hip instead of going for his sword.

"Nope, something different," he said, the movement of his lips under the mask in a grin. That was when she heard it, a slight metallic tinkling sound. Bells. Inner Sakura screamed at her to get out of there fast. There was no way they were putting up with bell hell for his sadistic enjoyment. Kakashi barely had them out of the pouch, ringing on his fingers, when she turned and started to stalk back the way they came. She didn't get very far as he put an arm over her shoulders, turned her back towards the meadow, "Oi, Sakura, hear me out before you-."

Before the silver-haired ninja could continue, tip of her blade pointed at the cleft of his voice box in his neck, "No, you hear me. I am not putting up with those stinking bells just so you can prove a point! So help me if you don't have a good reason . . ."

"Cause it's fun?"

The answer didn't help Kakashi's cause, fury in her emerald eyes, "Fun?! Your bell test is the most maniacal, sadistic, idiotic test of sheer patience and cunning ever devised to suit some twisted purpose only you know. The only person ever having fun with it is you! You never have to try to get your paws on those ruddy bells and I refuse to be your-!"

"See, now that's where I remedy the problem."

"Huh?" Sakura blinked, interrupted suddenly enough that she stopped waving her sword at his throat to hold it just under his chin. What was he getting at? Seeing that he had her confused attention, Kakashi continued, "I'm not asking you to go through my patented bell test, but a variation to teach you how to disarm your opponent. Just to even the field, I'll be playing too."

". . . I'm listening . . ." she said, not sounding convinced at all just yet.

"Ah, but first the lesson."

"Always a catch isn't there?" she asked, narrowing her green eyes on him. Kakashi's eye creased too happily. Her sword jabbed up slightly, if just to remind him that her weapon wasn't going anywhere any time soon. The slight ring of the bells was all the warning she got of the movement of his hand. Before Sakura had time to blink, there was a hiss of steel being drawn and a flash of silver in her sight. He knocked her sword away from his chin, quickly spinning the blade in a full circle as it clattered against hers. With a slice of metal on metal, the hilt was ripped from her hand and thrown up into the air, landing at her feet. The kunoichi blinked, not expecting that at all. Looking up at the Copy-nin, his eye was still creased, grinning broadly under the mask, "And that is the lesson for today."

"What? Huh? How'd you do that?!"

Kakashi ruffled her short pink hair, bent over slightly while propping the sword against his shoulder, "Ah, so my little cherry blossom wants to know, does she? But to know you have to play the game."

Damn, back to the bells again. She still didn't see what they had to do with the lesson, but if it humored him enough to teach her that trick . . . "I'll even make a wager with you, that is, if you think you can beat me?"

Tsunade-sensei had instilled in her a long time ago a sense of knowing a sucker bet by ear. That sense went off loud and strong at the idea of betting over combat with Kakashi. He made it very hard to win against. And yet, he just had to jab at her pride, goading her into wanting to beat him. Inner Sakura made a powerful statement that it was as if he wanted her to beat him too from the way he had suggested the wager. The thought made her grin. Guess the Godaime wasn't the only one in Konoha willing to place sucker bets, "You're on."

* * *

Sasaki rolled along the ground ending in a crouch in front of her masked opponent. His masked face quirked to the side and stared at her, a curious bird-like movement. The twin sais were flipped in his hands till the blades rested along his forearm, ready to counter her strikes. With a grunt, she pushed back up and sprinted forward, drawing the sword back then up high. He blocked it with ease like she expected, but it forced him back as well. Her strike to the side was parried as well on the prongs of the sai. The ninja twisted, throwing her sword up with a clash of steel. He was almost dancing across the grass when he dodged the next blow while his back was turned. It infuriated her how he did that so easily, making her feel like a graceless fool whenever they spared.

Twirling the sais, he crossed them to stop her downward chop, pressing it back upwards. Sasaki barely had time to bring the sword down to swipe away his fast jabs, throwing them off as quickly as they came. Her blood rushed in her veins, knowing he was quick, but not that quick. With a roar, the kunoichi caught her blade on one of the prongs, twisting the edge in a fast circle till the weapon was ripped from his right hand. Cursing, the ninja brought his armored forearm up to block her counter attack. He jabbed forward into the opening, but she expected and turned away. Over-extending, the shinobi realized too late that he was way off-balance. He was the only one to realize this as well. Sasaki's foot flashed out in front of his as he moved past her, bowling him over as he tripped. His back hit the ground and he rolled out of it, coming back up to his feet.

The purple-haired kunoichi frowned as he turned back to her, having picked up the dropped sai again during his tumble. Even in mistakes he came out on top. She was not losing to him today. Sasaki charged him as he braced for a collision . . . but the impact never came, a log dropping at his feet with a pop in the air. "Shit," he cursed, jumping backwards just in time to avoid a slash.

Turning in a tight circle, she drew the blade in a wide arc, nicking skin and metal as he scraped by. He hissed at the fine cuts on his upper arms and across his chest, some of the fabric sliced open. She was more determined than usually to wipe the floor with him when she reversed the blade and slashed outward again, forcing him to scramble back till he hit against a tree. Sasaki stabbed forward, knowing he'd push her hand up and lock weapons. It happened just as she thought, his sais crossed again to stop her blade. "Mikazuki no Mai!" she yelled as the man beneath the mask visible shuddered.

Three shadow clones of the kunoichi sprung into existence around them, swords pointed at the ninja's chest in the same stabbing manner. "Do you yield?" she asked, knowing not even a replacement jutsu could save him now that he was surrounded.

"You don't play fair," he growled, not letting up despite how he was pinned.

"Enemies don't play fair, Takeo," she answered back, colder than usual. He froze and for a moment she imagined how his pretty face was scared under the mask. The thought clenched her heart, making her back off suddenly while the clones disappeared. She wasn't even aware of how heavily she was breathing till it was the only sound she could hear. He lifted the bird mask to the top of his head, looked at Sasaki curiously. She wasn't herself today, but he didn't know her well enough at all to be sure of that. Slowly, she raised her cat mask as well, meeting his sapphire eyes a moment with her dark pair before looking away. "We're done for today," she said, sheathing the sword, "You should get your cuts bandaged. Maybe Sakura-chan can look at them later."

Sasaki started to walk back towards the building, avoiding the rest of a conversation even if she could feel his eyes following her. What had gotten into her today? This was simple aggression she was working off on him, and why did it hurt her to think he was afraid of her? She wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer to that one, picking up her pace slightly. And yet, her feet ground to a halt when she heard him shout after her, "Wait up!"

Damn . . . he finally wanted to talk, didn't he? Nearly a year on the team and Takeo hadn't really talked to any of them. He just was, and it didn't seem to bother their Captain so long as the job was done. But in truth, the silence had bothered Sasaki a little. There was something about the long-haired man that was off, she just didn't know what. He jogged up next to her, slowing down as he noticed that she had stopped. "I . . ." he started to say, nervously fidgeting with the sais strapped to his hips, "Are you ok today? You seemed . . . sadder than normal."

Sasaki's face darkened slightly, then let up as she turned away to continue walking, "I'm fine. I . . . I was just at the memorial before practice, thinking."

"Oh . . ." he said, sounding sad himself. She barely kept from smirking at his reaction. Mentioning the memorial around other shinobi was like dropping live exploding tags. It inspired as much sorrow as it did anger or regrets, and no one in their profession was immune to that sort of pain. Takeo wisely kept his mouth shut about it, knowing the subject was a minefield to enter once it was mentioned so freely. That was the opposite of what she wanted though. Part of Sasaki wanted him to ask her why, just to hear him speak. Maybe he knew already about Hayate, maybe he didn't. Not knowing what he knew bit at her. She slowly down a little till the taller man walked at her shoulder, watching the thoughtful expression on his face in the new silence. It looked like he was wrestling with something plaguing him too, and it made her curious. Sensing her eyes on him, Takeo looked over, blinking, "What?"

"Nothing, just . . ." Sasaki's voice trailed off, about to ask when her courage faltered, "It's nothing."

"It's never nothing. You want to know something about me, don't you?" he asked as his voice dropped to a low-level that made her shiver. That was a new feeling for her around him, the shivering. He did that on purpose, right? She couldn't resist not asking now, "Do you have a reason for visiting the memorial yourself?"

"You're asking if I've lost someone," it was a statement from his full lips, not a question, but she nodded anyway. Takeo exhaled, almost sighing as he stopped walking. Sasaki stopped as well, turning to face him. The look of loss on his face for a brief moment was enough of an answer, but he spoke anyway, "No, I don't have a reason to visit the memorial, but . . . I have lost some things in my time."

Mysterious answer, she didn't expect anything else from the man, "You're not going to elaborate on that are you?"

"No, not unless you crack first," he said with a slight grin that quickly faded back to nothingness as he realized how crass that sounded, "I didn't mean it like that, I mean . . . I'm sure . . . well, you did bring it up, so I'm sure you're feeling something at the moment that you don't want to talk about either, so-."

His reaction brought a small smile to Sasaki's face that faded too. What was she thinking? As endearing as his slightly nervous rambling was, she should just squash this before she got too close, "It's alright. You don't have to try to be understanding on my account."

The ice in her voice was like a splash of water in the face, stunning his rambling into silence. She started walking back again while Takeo followed behind her a few step away. It was too quiet between them, which made Sasaki's doubts swung back the other way. This wasn't what she wanted. She wanted to learn more about the ninja, but why did she want to push him away too? There was a slight flutter in her stomach of nervousness, something she wasn't used to as she pushed it down. She wanted to be his friend, right? "I didn't mean it like that," she said suddenly, purposefully glancing to the side away from him, "I meant . . ."

"It's ok . . ." he trailed off, sounding more introspective now that he wasn't rambling, "I 'do' understand, sort of."

Watching her turn slightly as his eyes were glued to her back, Takeo knew that he understood her more than she knew just from watching her. Within moments of meeting Sasaki so long ago when he'd been summoned to Dragon Team's meeting room, 3B, he knew that something had happened to the woman. It was in her dark eyes, a half-dead appearance in them. Kakashi almost had the same look in his, but there was a spark of something rekindled. For a long time after that meeting, in her presence, he grew to understand that she'd suffered loss like all of them, but she had never let it go. Takeo never asked, but he knew that part of her, he just didn't sound like it. There was a reason for that. "I'm not very good, with people, you see," he admitted.

"I find that hard to believe," Sasaki said, and the ninja knew she wasn't referring to charming personality, or was she? Either way, he frowned, wishing hard that he could just disappear. He shouldn't have started this talk in the first place, it brought up too much. "Reputations aren't all they're cracked up to be," he said under his breath, barely loud enough for her to hear him.

"Really?" she asked, and again she didn't sound convinced.

"Well, if take the Captain's reputation into account, which I don't, then he should be more of a bastard to us rather than letting his two underlings practically have two months off."

"So he's not as scary as he lets on during downtime. You've seen Kakashi in action enough to know that he'd not one to be taken lightly."

"Yes, but in other people's perception . . . do you see my point yet?"

Even if she didn't reply, Sasaki did see his point. To everyone else, including herself, Hatake Kakashi was the Great Copy Ninja, whom she greatly respected . . . till she actually got to know him well. Yes, Takeo had a point but now that he had made it, what was his reason for bringing it up in the first place? "Do you care that much about people's perceptions?" the kunoichi asked, glancing at him.

For a moment, Takeo looked as if he was going to blurt out the first words in his mouth but then stopped, nervously laughing it off instead, "No, no, no, of course not. Whatever gave you that idea?"

It didn't take Ibiki's skill to know he was lying, making her smiling knowingly as she turned away again. What was he hiding? He was being mysterious again, even if it only served to enhance her curiosity. Maybe he had a good reason to lie to her. It didn't matter though as she was sure he'd tell her in time, if it was important, "Absolutely nothing . . . You're right though."

"What's that?"

"You're right, you aren't good with people," Sasaki said, glancing over her shoulder at him. The ninja gawked at her, unsure if it was a compliment he'd just received or an insult. Her words were probably neither since he'd confessed as much earlier. Takeo sighed, frowning again, "I told you . . ."

"You don't get out much, do you?"

"Excuse me?" Takeo blinked at her, noticing the nervous way the sword-wielder moved after asking her question. It wasn't one of her more brilliant choices she had to admit, as she scratched the back of her head. What was she thinking asking a question like that? It was as if she was asking for trouble no matter what he said. "Oh, nothing," Sasaki said quickly, denying it, "I should probably get going. Same time tomorrow?"

"Unless the captain says otherwise, I suppose . . ." he trailed off, watching her wave and sprint ahead of him, as if she was escaping. Self-conscious of the action, Takeo waved back, holding his hand up till she was gone. "Damn . . ." he cursed, folding his arms over his chest, "This is why I don't like talking to people . . ."

No, despite his reputation as a wooer, the ninja known as Kimura Takeo was a bit of a mystery to everyone he knew, male and female alike, because he wanted to be. It was easier that way if no one knew about him, safer. But, letting that sort of defense down for even a moment made him feel awkward, especially around women. The talk with Sasaki proved just how much he barely knew about her or any of them on Dragon Team. Wanting to understand them, especially the sword-wielding kunoichi, was puzzling. He hadn't wanted to get close to anyone, not even as a genin after what happened. Takeo shuddered slightly, not wanting to remember that particular part of his past. He never should have hinted to her at what he had lost.

Slowly, he exhaled, trying to think. There had to be a better way, one that didn't make him feel like a fool every time he opened his mouth and one that didn't tear at his old wounds. He snorted in laughter, smirking as he continued back towards the building, "I am a fool though. That's the problem . . ."

* * *

Sakura ducked another swipe of Kakashi's sword, the bells ringing. She twisted to the left and brought her weapon back up to block his second strike. She glanced down at the hilt of his sword, the small bit of metal dangling on the thin cord from the silvered cap. So close yet so far away. When the edge of his blade met that flat of hers, she pushed back and twisted the weapon in a shriek of steel to circle around his. Before her hands could complete the rotation though, the silver-haired ninja pulled away, darting around to her left. Facing the kunoichi again, he twirled the blade over the back of his hand then crouched slightly, "Close, Sakura, but you'll have to try harder to get my bell."

"This is the stupidest version of you exam to date!" she spat at him, "And you're not standing still long enough for me to finish!"

"Then try to disarm me quicker," Kakasi said, his eye creasing. Growling in frustration, she came at him, moving in another series of quick strikes. She never should have let him talk her into this, no matter how simple the objective was. All she had to do was take the sword from his hands and pull off the bell without letting him take the identical one tied onto her blade. It was more easily said from his mask-covered lips than done. He'd come close three times already to getting the ninja-to from her hands, and she managed to get it back each time. Her luck wasn't going to hold out forever. She never should have taken that bet.

Sakura gripped the hilt in both hands, using the extra momentum to reverse the blade and slash upwards. Kakashi parried the swing, turning in time to avoid the blow to his back as her foot kicked high. Maybe instating the new rules of allowing some taijutsu moves was a bad idea. Actually, the rule was to go all out except for anything consuming chakra, and Sakura had taken it to heart. There was a good reason she didn't want to lose to him, and that determination showed. She blocked his counter attack to her turned back, batting his sword away with her armored forearm. Pivoting on her heel, the kunoichi slashed sideways and locked blades with his. This time, her hands moved faster to spin the weapon lose from his grip, but he drew back quickly. His cherry blossom was catching him more often with that move now that she had it down, learning quicker than he thought. Or maybe it was sheer determination to kick his ass for once.

Smirking at the thought, the silver-haired ninja dropped into a crouch to sweep out her feet. Sakura jumped over him in time then ducked the second kick as his foot sailed over her head. Kakashi stood back up with a bounce and slashed forward. She blocked it easily, chopping downwards as the bells rung and the steel screeched. Panting, she almost missed the shift in his hips as he twisted to her left. "Shit," the kunoichi cursed, diving forward into a roll.

Sakura barely avoided the sword swung over her back, disappearing into the tall grass and flowers as she tumbled. It was in that moment that she realized she was never going to beat him in a direct brawl. Kakashi was too strong. Inner Sakura popped with an idea for a new game to play with him, hide and seek. It sounded like a plan to her. Darting through the grass as silently as she could, she headed for the trees, knowing he was bound to follow. The ninja wasn't blind, or deaf, as he heard her move through the meadow. If it weren't for the no chakra rules, her disappearance would have been more convincing. But at least it was a break, letting Kakashi catch his breath before he attempted to follow her.

He stopped to peel off his black shirt and mask from under the leather harness across his chest. It was the first time in a long time that he felt too hot to wear it while. Using it as a rag, he wiped away the sweat accumulating on his face and threw it aside. Maybe Sakura had more stamina that he thought to be able to keep fighting this long, three hours since they started. Summer had barely begun, but he could already feel the heat in the air, and could tell it would soon mean brutal weather for Konahagakure. "At least this isn't Suna. They must be baking there today," Kakashi's breath evened out and he turned back towards the trees, "Five second head start should do it . . ."

Perhaps a little too causally, the Copy-nin walked in the direction she'd fled to. Her chakra was masked as its signature didn't flare to life like a beacon. "If I was a Sakura, where would I be . . .?" he wondered out loud.

He looked up into the branches then around in the surrounding underbrush, not underestimating her ability to hide on him. The bushes only stirred in the hazy breeze, none of the rustle of movement in them. No twigs snapped. Her hiding skills had improved too. Kakashi didn't let it get to him, knowing it would be far easier to lure her out than to go diving through the overgrowth. "Come on, Sakura! I'll be gentle, I swear! And my tastes in clothes isn't that bad! You know I'll pick out something sexy for you to wear!" he shouted, "All you have to do is lose!"

Faintly, he thought he heard a shaking of leaves behind him. "Gotcha," he muttered under his breath before continuing to yell, "You know you can't beat me, and you know you'll like losing anyway!"

The rustling was a little strong this time along with the subtle sound of a bell, just to the right of the last spot. She was moving. Kakashi stabbed through the bush just ahead of the noise, hitting . . . nothing? The tinkling sound of a bell rung again, this time by his ear. He ducked on instinct. The sword hilt that would have bashed into the side of his head missed, but her kick to his side didn't. He was pushed forwards and to the left, forced to skid or else stumble face first through the bush. She laughed from over his shoulder but stopped abruptly as he whirled on her, his blade slashing out. Yelping, Sakura hopped backwards, parrying strike after strike till she felt her back press against bark. "Here we go again," she muttered softly as he chopped at her . . . and hit wood.

"Damnit!" Kakashi yelled, his blade imbedded in the tree. The kunoichi beamed at him, standing just to the side from where she'd darted out of the way. Yelling back, she charged him, swinging her sword down at his arm. Cursing heavily, the Copy-nin barely had time to hold up his free arm, frantically trying to yank his sword free with the other. "Damn, woman! It's only a bet!" he yelled as he could feel his forearm bruise under the plate from the impact, "You knew my perverted tendencies when we started this! You knew whatever I asked you to do in losing would be mutually pleasurable!"

"And humiliating! Gah! I am not letting you play dress up with me!" she shouted in his face, green fire in her eyes. Kakashi growled, leaning in towards her, "What you going to do about it?"

"I'm going to win!" Sakura shouted as her body collided with his side, grappling for the sword hilt. His growling got louder. Now she was taking this win at all cost things too far, he thought, desperately trying to push him away from the tree. Kakashi twisted his free arm, letting her blade skitter off the armor to grab her around the waist. With a gasp, the pink-haired woman found herself first pulled to his side then shoved back into the tree. Air was knocked from her lungs at the harsh impact, gasping as she struggled under him. Damnit! Not this again! She could only guess his intentions while feeling his own ragged breath over her shoulder. Sakura struggled under him, trying to bring her blade up to cut her way free from the Copy-nin's arm if she had to.

Kakashi growled and shoved her back by the shoulder like nothing more than a rag doll. The back of her head hit the tree hard. She gave a sharp cry of pain, momentarily dazed. Her eyes shut tightly as concern flooded him. Damn, he didn't want to hurt her that much. The ninja brought his hand up to her face, rubbing her cheek while forgetting about everything else. With a moan, Sakura's emerald eyes slowly opened again, looking up at his face. Irritated, and still in pain, she winced and scowled at him, "Owwww, that wasn't fair . . ."

She was pissed at him. That was a relief.

The ninja chuckled darkly, lowering his head to hit the tree beside hers while curling his arm over her slim shoulders, "Game over for the day. Three hours training is long enough. We'll continue this tomorrow."

A bell rung by his ear, "Oh?"

Kakashi blinked, "Yeah, why?"

A second bell rung by his other ear, "How can we continue if I've won?"

"Damn . . ." he cursed as he looked down at the hilt of the sword imbedded in the wood, the cord tied around it snapped, "Damn . . . You pulled it off while I was worried over you . . . didn't you?"

"I win!" she exclaimed practically in his ear, jumping up to hug him while dropping her sword. Beyond irritated, the silver-haired ninja tried to push her off of him, but she stuck to him like cement. Gah! How could he fall for it?! Failed his own blasted test and lost the bet too! This was bad. He was too concerned over her sometimes to the point of distraction. Yet, training her and keeping her on his squad was the only way he'd be able to watch over her. Damn those fraternization rules for biting him in the ass again by proving that he originally followed them for a good reason. Kakashi's mood darkened, growing more annoyed the longer she clung to him. "That wasn't fair . . ." he growled as she giggled, wrapped all over him.

"I don't remember direction on what was and wasn't fair from you. Your rule was, and I quote, 'anything that doesn't use chakra goes'. You lost! I beat you! I beat you! I-!" her words were cut off abruptly by his lips, murmuring into them as he kissed her. Kakashi wasn't a sore loser, sure, given his track record of useless contests versus Maito Gai without blowing up at the green menace. Maybe she did win fair and square, but he wasn't about to put up with her gloating. Sakura's high slowly unwound the longer their lips remained pressed together, her knees buckling under intensity. His frustration with her showed in the kiss, pushing her back against the tree while forcing her head up. She half-whined, half-moaned, and half-struggled in his arms as his tongue invaded her mouth, coaxing more of the sounds from her throat. He must really have been angry about losing, Inner Sakura thought, and she quite agreed.

Kakashi finally let up and she gulped for air, flushed pink down to her toes and panting. He smirked at her reaction, the look in her eyes more dazed than when she hit her head. It took Sakura a good minute to get her breath back as well as find her thoughts and her voice. The Copy-nin wasn't helping her dilemma by trapping her there, his arms planted on either side of her head while looking down at her with hunger in his dark eye. He slowly leaned back down for what she could only guess was another kiss, and the kunoichi quickly turned her head away, "I think we're done for the day. It's a long walk back to the village."

She ducked under his arms quickly, grabbing her sword and sheathing it before he caught her again. Sakura didn't even glance back to see if he had followed her, intending to grab the rest of their things before she changed her mind. Once she was gone, Kakashi banged his head against the tree with a groan. This was a bad idea after all, especially the wager. Open-ended bets entailing exchanges of favors were bad ideas in general. He'd not only lost, which took his pride down a few notches, but now he had to submit to whatever retribution she planned to dish out on him. She could burn his books for all he knew, and he had to take it or else be forever accused of never holding up his end of a wager. Or . . . she could do something else to him, given his declarations of lustful intent if he had won.

That was one thought that had the undivided attention of the perverted Copy-nin's dirty mind. His little cherry blossom was by no means innocent, which made him wonder how corrupted she was indeed. It wasn't like he ever asked . . . that. Maybe he shouldn't have let her hang around Anko, Kurenai or that Ino, or even Hinata. There was no telling what Icha Icha's influence and the tongue waggling of kunoichis could do make her fantasize about. Kakashi banged his head again, trying to banish the thoughts in his head. Never, ever should have made a stupid, open-ended bet just to get her to train, no matter how much promise she was showing. It wasn't going to leave him alone till she made him cough up repayment, he could tell. Stupid, stupid, stupid. "Kakashi! Ready!" he heard her yelling, breaking his thoughts.

It was too late to take it back now.

Growling, he yanked hard on the sword hilt, pulling it free of the tree finally before sheathing it across his back. Turning around, he found her smiling at him, holding a fresh shirt and mask in one hand and bottle of water in the other. Biting down a sigh, he took both items then bent down to kiss her forehead. His fingers briefly ruffled her short hair, turning to walk through the forest with an arm draped over her shoulder. "You're not already thinking of how to claim your reward are you?" Kakashi asked after passing onto the dirt path.

Sakura snuggled under his arm's weight, ignoring the sweaty scent clinging to him, "Hummm, I'll have to think on it . . . If you won, what would you have done to me, really? Made me play dress up?"

About three dozen thoughts that would have made Ero-sennin proud jumped into the Copy-nin's head at her question. It was so hard settling on just one when a few glances at any part of Sakura could propel his fantasies for days on end. "I would have had to think hard on it too . . ." he admitting, purposefully looking anywhere but at her.

She giggled, wrapping her armored arms around his naked waist, "Wouldn't have it any other way. So much to do, so little time!"

Smirking, he ruffled her hair again, harder this time, "That's my girl . . . just no whips and chains, please?"

She burst out laugh, nearly stumbling in the path and crashing into him. Kakashi stopped and chuckled, internally breathing a sigh of relief that Anko's domineering ways hadn't influenced her that much. Sakura pulled him down slightly, kissing his cheek then patting the rough-shaven skin, "Don't worry. I'll be gentle with you."

For moment, his heart leapt into his throat then flopped into his stomach.

She didn't mean that, did she? Kami-sama, maybe she did mean it!

Blushing deep red, he was regretting taking off his mask so he could have hidden the reaction. The kunoichi burst out laughing again, kissing and giggling at his cheek while wrapped around him once more. Kakashi let out the breath he'd been holding. She was just joking, even if he still felt the lingering effects of a coronary. "You, little flower, are going to be the death of me," he said soberly, grunting at the shot in the shoulder from her petite fist.

Sakura sighed wistfully, almost humming against his chest while refusing to move. After spending a moment trying to dislodge her with little effect, the silver-haired ninja was more than content to linger a little, resting his chin on the top of her head. He breathed in the scent of her shampoo, the forest air, and the slight lingering sweat. "It's going to be hot tomorrow . . ." she said in a lazy tone, her voice muffled in his bare skin.

"I know . . ." Kakashi grinned, "I'm burning up just thinking about it."

* * *

Jutsus Used/Mentioned –

Mikazuki no Mai (Dance of the Crescent Moon)

To Be Continued in Lesson 03 of The Way of the Sword, Too Darned Hot.


	4. Too Darned Hot

The Way of the Sword

A Naruto fanfiction, By Serenanna

Lesson 03 – Too Darned Hot

Warnings and Disclaimers: I don't own Naruto or any of the characters. I'm just borrowing them to play with. I'll return them later, promise. There is adult content, and sexual situations in this story involving sharp, pointy objects. So, if you're under 18, leave now before your virgin eyes are scarred forever, if you're over 18, enjoy!

Story Notes: This is a Kakashi/Sakura fic, while other pairings may come and go. Yeah, I know, I've gone to the dark side of not sticking to canon like I usually do, and boy was it good on the way over! This story is a continuation of Ronsmyhero's Respect and Understanding. Reading that fic is a good idea in order to understand this one, but I will try to gloss over the important stuff. It is being written with her knowledge and stamp of approval. In case she ever makes her own sequel, this is an AU take then. I know a fanfic of a fanfic probably isn't a good idea, but I'm giving it a whirl. Ronsmyhero, this is in honor of you. To that end, I am making an OC to be Yajima's replacement, and the way this story is shaping, he will be paired with Sasaki. Outside of the basics of the Naruto world, I'm a complete newbie. If this fic breaks a lot of canon as far as the combat goes, I'm sorry. The style of sword combat I'm going with will try to be semi-realistic. If that's against canon, again, I'm sorry. I'm trying here. I don't know how long this'll run. Hell, I don't even know how long I can stretch out this plot or even if it has a point. Eventually it will have a point, I think. We'll see. Lemons of various shapes and sizes will abound along with mild drama, angst, buckets of humor, raunchiness, fluff, and action. This is your fair warning.

* * *

Weather was a funny thing around Konohagakure, really. Snow was a rarity, but it got plenty cold in the winter where as the spring, summer, and fall all went the same way, pleasant. Days of storms were rare, flooding even rarer. Hell, even overcast skies were rare. Ideal weather was really the norm for the village, never at one extreme or the other. It was perfect weather for plants, which made the gardens and parks lusciously green in the heights of spring and summer. Guess they didn't call it Hidden Leaf for nothing. But then were times of heat when the land did indeed take on the name of Fire Country. Kakashi could count on one hand the number of times Konoha had a heat wave in all his thirty-eight years, once when he was ten, and the second when he was seventeen. The beginning of that summer was the third time in his life Kami-sama turned the village into a bake oven.

The heat had started the day after taking Sakura to the flower meadow and losing in his own game. She still hadn't claimed her prize to that bet yet, but he had stopped worrying. He was sure he could survive anything her mind could cook up. A grin crept up onto his face at that thought, watching the woman in question moan softly then turn over on the bed to face him. Soft pink hair radiated like a halo on the sheets around her head while her pale skin glowed with a fine sheen of sweat. The covers had been tossed to the floor that morning as soon as he got up, leaving her naked and still stubbornly asleep after quarter past ten. Watching the steady rise and fall of her flat stomach and breasts, he didn't have the heart to break out the spoon and saucepan to wake her just yet. Besides, it would ruin his view.

He must have really tired her out the night before, or at least he would have liked to think. Given that Tsunade-sama had called her in temporarily to help the hospital again during the crisis, he wasn't surprised. It was bad outside, the temperatures some of the worst in Konoha's records. All missions B-rank and below had been suspended. Training was canceled the first day after waves of sun-stroked shinobi poured into the hospital. Everyone that could afford air-conditioning stayed in doors and the poor souls that couldn't found respite wherever they could. Looking over at the relatively new unit sitting in part of the large bedroom window, Kakashi applauded their foresight. Who knew their first investment into the betterment of their living conditions would become so vital?

While it didn't keep the heat at bay completely through the old windows and doors, it made the apartment livable. The ninja sat on the wide sill of the window, his legs folded up with a book propped in his lap. Usually, this was how he'd spend a weekend, not a weekday, but he wasn't about to complain. The call of the new Icha Icha War, Feudal Era was strong, almost as strong as the sight of the pink-haired goddess in his bed. Their bed, Kakashi corrected himself, even if it was his sheets. At least that was one thing they agreed on, to use his bedding. He could only handle so much pink. Sometimes there were mornings he liked waking up next to her, but when she slept in, the view was much better from a distance. How she could be so beautiful when she was dead to the world was something he couldn't understand but could certainly appreciate.

There was yawn form the bed and, as he looked over, his lover gave a cat-like stretch, bending in ways that made his grin brighten up till he caught himself. Shaking his head, he went back to reading. Knowing Sakura, she'd roll over again and be fast asleep in minutes. And yet, his attention was drawn away again as by a low murmur muffled by pillows then groaning, "Why didn't you get me up?"

Because she looked too damned good to disturb. "You got in late remember? I didn't want to grouch at me all day if I didn't let you sleep in," Kakashi lied then ducked the pillow that rebounded off the wall behind his head, "Too slow."

He grabbed the pillow before it fell to the floor and tossed to back towards her. Sakura let it hit her stomach and bounce off as she giggled. Leaning on the wall again, he went back to the little book in his hands, ignoring the green eyes glued to his profile. It wasn't like she could help staring. Kakashi was just so good to look at first thing in the morning, especially on rare, lazy days like that particular day. If he knew they had no where to go, he didn't bother hiding his face from her with a mask, or with wearing his forehead protector over his scarred eye. She had to admit it. The think black eye-patch he'd taken to wearing around their home was infinitely sexier no matter how much he grumbled about looking stupid.

Turning onto her stomach, Sakura's eyes drifted from his face to the rest of his clothing or lack there of. The only thing he wore was a pair of jeans so old that they had to be ancient, or at least that was her impression. They were practically thread-bare, tears and frays across the knees and seams, the indigo dye so faded that they were almost bluish-white. She probably should have told him to throw them out, but the pants molded him as if he'd been poured into them. Besides, they were the only thing in Kakashi's wardrobe that was green, dark blue, or black, wasn't standard issue ninja-wear, or wasn't shapeless beyond recognition. Sakura stretched again when he flipped another page, her heels kicking the air, "You eat already?"

"Yup."

"You must have been up very early then if I didn't smell it . . ."

"Yup."

"Kakashi . . . you aren't listening to me?"

"Yup."

She sighed, burying her face in the mattress to keep from screaming. Damned Icha Icha, again. She thought they agreed that he'd only read while on missions? Apparently, if he was reading now, he didn't remember or selectively forgot. But then again, she'd been catching him for months without scolding him, so their original agreement amounted to about nothing. It could have been worse though. His hobby of reading smut was at least quiet compared to the results of Naruto's pranks. Rumbling in frustration, she pushed up from the bed and slid to her feet. Kakashi didn't even flinch or flicker a glance at her, turning another page while she padded across the carpeted floor. It him have been an interesting chapter for him to be so oblivious, which peaked her curiosity. He didn't notice the kunoichi at all till she crawled up onto the window sill as well, moving sinuously like large cat. Ignoring the silly book and his arms, Sakura slid under them and pulled herself into his lap before he could protest.

Not that he would protest.

She was naked and sitting on him with Icha Icha in his hands. Life couldn't get any better as a grin took over Kakashi's face, "Good morning to you too . . . Don't you have to check in at the hospital today?"

"No, baring another disaster. She relieved me since I'm supposed to be on leave anyway. Oh, and she said to tell you to make sure I'm happy, and to keep me safe," she said before kissing his cheek, blocking his view of the book, "She must have finally gotten time to read all the roster reports."

"Great, no more S-rank missions for us. She'll never let us do anything remotely dangerous again," he complained, trying not to crinkle his nose in distaste. Sakura giggled, stretched, and then turn in his folded legs till she leaned into his chest with her shoulder nestled under a strong arm, her attention on the book too. "Ero-sennin must have outdone himself with this one," she commented while looking over the page, "You've been reading it over and over for a week straight."

"Jiraiya-sama's been branching out into historic smut now. And the plot is more . . . err . . ." Kakashi stopped himself, almost tempted to close the book now. She smile up at him till he went silent, prodding him instead. "What were you going to say?" she asked, noticing the way the Copy-nin nearly fidgeted.

His long fingers drummed on the book, "I thought you didn't like me reading Icha Icha? Every time you bring it up, you only use it to distract me, like any other weapon in your arsenal, so why the sudden interest?"

Sakura's bottom lip quivered a moment before she chewed on it nervously, smile slightly skewed, "Can't I be interested in one of your hobbies? You let me ramble on about all the latest medical stuff. It's only fair that I get to listen to you ramble on about your dirty little books."

"This isn't a hobby, Sakura, this is porn. It straddles the line between being a lonely shinobi's favorite pastime and being addiction. I don't think it's in any way, shape, or form meant for a serious literary discussion," Kakashi argued, hoping she didn't start seeing through his words.

Ha, like he could be so lucky. Why was he suddenly uncomfortable with her being so naked and all over him while he was trying to read? And why was he nervous about her interest in his reading material? Except for his need for privacy, he wasn't so sure why exactly, only that he was. Possibly it was because every time sex came up in their discussions, one thing eventually led to the both of them losing clothes. The truth was that she was his addiction, and perhaps vice versa. He'd never been in relationships long enough to know when the lust faded and life together started, but this, this seemed like a long time to still want her about every waking moment in the day. Maybe he was more of a pervert than even Jiraiya. He wanted to read about sex, not live it out . . . ok, maybe he did want it too, but still!

Kakashi looked at Sakura, very confused as to what he was even thinking himself when she asked, "You don't like us discussing this?"

He shook his head. Her green eyes narrowed slightly, "You think I'm not grown up enough?"

His mouth opened, a denial on the tip of his tongue, but he just couldn't say it with the disappointed look on her face, "Well . . . right now you look more like you did at sixteen, just not as pout-y."

The young woman in his lap then pouted, "I'm twenty-five, not sixteen, Kakashi. Fine, no discussion, but please, just humor me and let me read with you?"

He wasn't sure what was worse, her pout or the sinking feeling that they would be back in bed before page one hundred.

Smartly, the silver-haired ninja caved, "Don't say I didn't warn you."

Cracking open the book again, he flipped back a page to the beginning of the chapter. As soon as she'd seen the first picture, she gasped, her skin heating against his. Damn, not even having read the first word and she was already flustered. Well, maybe it couldn't blame her. It was a potent picture of a raven-haired kunoichi lost in the throes of passion while the protagonist, Junko's great great grandfather, pulled open her short kimono. The detail was extraordinary, from the wild hair, to the folds in the fabric, the little touches, they all made him grin, unconsciously running his thumb down the silhouette of the woman. Sakura, who had been a touch uncomfortable while looking at the book, felt a tinge of something clench her heart as he absentmindedly stroked the picture. Her eyes narrowed as her voice turned deeper than normal, "See something you like?"

Kakashi blinked. There was something about the way she asked that. Craning his neck to look at Sakura's face, he could see her intense stare at the picture, her eyes greener than normal. She was jealous. It made him grin impishly while she couldn't see it. He put his chin on her head, sounding thoughtful, "Hummmm, perhaps, it isn't as scandalous as some of his other prints, but I do like it."

His arm accidentally brushed hers, and she bristled under the touch, "But do you like her?"

He chuckled darkly, "Maybe if she was a little more undressed."

Sakura bit back a curse and tried to break free of his arms only to have one encircle her waist and pin her to his chest. She struggled, her feet kicking at the sill till she gave up. Huffing in annoyance, she fell limply back against the ninja, "Oh, let me go. I'm sorry I asked. I won't disturb your reading anymore."

She gave another shove forward, hoping he'd let her go, but his arm held her fast. Kakashi chuckled again, the sound of it sending shivers down her pale skin, "I knew it. You are jealous, and of picture women too."

The pink-haired young woman's cheeks blazed crimson as she fought harder to break free, "I am not jealous!"

"Then why did you ask me?"

"Because . . ." she started to say till she realized she was jealous. Damn, was she ever a fool around Kakashi. Sakura's face fell slightly, escaping his notice, "Because she looks nothing like me."

"She isn't you."

"What?"

"She isn't you. She's a character in a book who's gone by page fifty."

"But you like looking at her, at all of them probably, and compared to each one of them, I'm a short, flat board with a billboard brow and overly-aggressive tendencies," Sakura complained bitterly before sighing in regret. She should have added whining to her list of insecurities too. So much for acting like a grown-up since she sounded twelve again. Fed up with herself, she tried to escape Kakashi's grasp once more, only to stop cold at the breath on her bare shoulder, "Like I said, she isn't 'you'."

Her blush, which hadn't died down at all, spread over the rest of her skin at the implied timbre in his low voice. "You sure know how to make a girl feel better . . ." Sakura turned back to the book and the picture, a slight smirk dancing on her lips, "So you mean to tell me if she walked through the door, long hair, big boobs, short kimono and all, you wouldn't attempt to lure her into bed with you?"

Kakashi grunted at the question while trying to find an answer wouldn't get him decked back and destroy half their apartment, or wasn't a lie. "It depends, would she have naturally pink hair too?" he asked, grinning even as the naked woman in his arms beat on him in irritation.

"You are not funny this morning, or even remotely cute," Sakura growled at him, attempting to wiggle her way to freedom now that force wasn't working, "I've learned my lesson. I won't ask anything about your precious Icha Icha again, just let me go?"

"Do you really want me to answer your question?"

"No," she said to quickly to be truthful, the guilt of the lie biting her, "Yes . . . I don't know . . ."

Kakashi's fingers drummed on the book again. It wasn't an easy question, like asking why he read what amounted to artistically-portrayed porn in the first place. He didn't think about the women in the books, just the action, since they never could or would be real. But if they were real? And compared to his Sakura? Why was he even asking this question of himself in the first place? "No," he said simply.

"No? Not one ounce of desire?"

"No," he said again before humming thoughtfully, "But . . ."

"But what?"

"But if one of those women closely resembled you, I might be sorely tempted to give in," Kakashi grunted as an elbow jabbed into his short ribs, "You did ask."

"Yes, but you're still an ass," Sakura grumbled, and yet, her disposition softened under his chuckles, each one hidden in her shoulder along with the press of his lips. She shifted in his lap, suddenly conscious of his arm wrapped over her bare stomach and his hand on her hip. Did he even know that his fingers were stroking her skin, or how warm he felt in the cool air of the rest of the room? Eventually he stopped laughing at her, humming into the side of her neck while she shivered. Holding the book open again, he flipped through a few pages further in, settling on another picture. It was another kunoichi this time, and another pang of jealousy shot through her, "Kakashi . . ."

"Listen to me a moment before you start thinking too much," he said seriously enough that she actually listened, "Remember our little wager?"

How could she forget?

"Go on . . ."

"If I had won, that's what I would have made you wear," he admitted, letting her yank the book from his hands. Sakura gawked at the picture, taking in his words while trying to picture the outfit on her body and not the overly-voluptuous form of the kunoichi. He had to be joking right? Oh, of course he'd like this one as it left almost nothing to the imagination. It looked like a kimono, vaguely, but it was obviously missing a few things like sleeves, and whole sides. The front was wrapped across her torso, but nearly open to the stomach while the entire arms and underarms were bare except for flimsy armguards. It was tied with an obi at least around on the low waist with a decorative bow and long tails, but her legs were bare. The only thing even there to protect her modesty was a short loincloth panels down the front and back. Sakura snorted at the sight of the metal fighting fans in her hand, a third the size of Temari's.

Inner Sakura popped up at the sight of the picture, gawked too, and casually mentioned that the only way she'd wear that would be in the course of losing a bet. This was true . . .

But then again, would the humiliation be worth it to see the Great Copy Ninja pass out from another raging nosebleed? Or potential be unable to keep his hands off of her? Inner Sakura snickered, like he couldn't control himself around her already. This was true too . . .

Kakashi bent over her shoulder after giving her a good minute of studying the book. Was she actually considering it? No way in hell. He knew his Sakura. She'd rather eat red hot bean paste raw than wear something out of his dirty little books. He moved to pull the book from her hands, "That's quite enough study time for now. I think I hear a small critter somewhere struggling to break free . . . or it's your stomach."

Her elbow tried to jab back into his ribs again till he caught on the inside of his arm. He tried to slip the book away, but her fingers held fast, defensively holding it up while twisting away from him, "I was reading."

The shinobi smirked, languidly hugging her closer, "Oh were you? Don't let me interrupt."

Sakura gulped hard to keep from gasping as his hands drifted slightly lower than her waist. But then he stopped. Breathing slightly easier, she turned back all the way to the beginning, ignoring the picture to glance at the first page. If Kakashi minded her reading over from the beginning, he didn't say anything, still hunched over her shoulder. Skimming over the words, the young woman had read all the way to page twenty when she noticed how his fingers slowly drew on her skin, following some invisible line. She tried to ignore it, but the more she did that, the more it felt . . . good. Page twenty five and she noticed how his face have move from craning over her shoulder to the back of her neck. By the time she was on to the next page, she could feel the ninja's lips on her skin, his nose burrowed in her mussed hair. "You still use Floral Green," he muttered, inhaling the lingering clean scent.

The kunoichi squirmed more noticeably as his hand drifted up between her breasts to her tattooed shoulder, making her breath start. "Go back to reading. I'll try not to disturb you," he said too low to be anything other than seductive.

Like hell he was.

Kakashi knew exactly what he was doing and so did she. She determinedly focused on the book, the need to defy and fight him rising in her. His hand clasped her shoulder a moment then slowly moved down her arm. Sakura's breath hitched a moment then let out in a long hiss through her teeth. He was toying with her, and doing a damned good job at it. The hand still on her dropped inch by inch, second by second, and she all but forgot the book. His book. Trying to read again, the words blurred slightly, but she could still make them out enough to know that the plot was close to what he was doing to her. She had a good mind to throw it at him for the slow torture. Her toes curled when the tips of his fingers rested in the fine pink curls covering her center. He didn't even bother to hide his intent anymore, openly kissing and licking the back of her neck.

The book shook in her hands. Unconsciously, her legs parted slightly, inviting him to touch her if he took the hint. Sakura gasped as he lightly bit her neck, dropping the book with a clatter on the sill. So much for reading. Her body pushed against the ninja's, molding to his bare chest. His voice rumbled in her burning ears, lips nibbling on a lobe, "Sexy."

She giggled lightly till the sound was cut off by a forced moan. His fingers delved to her folds, rubbing the slick flesh. Sakura's body arched in Kakashi's grasp, her hips moving on their own in his lap. A rough hand touched her breast, holding her back as she struggled. She bit her lip to keep from the moans trapped in her throat, not wanting to give him the satisfaction. The touch of his fingers parting the petals of her center and latching onto the bundle of nerves surged through her, making her buck despite how he held her fast. He was being delicate and careful, teasingly light, avoiding what she wanted, needed. Sakura wanted to scream at his dark laughter, infuriated and inflamed. "Let it go," he breathed over her shoulder, voice slightly ragged, "You can fight me later."

A finger slid into her, and she cried out, desperate to feel more of it. His hand still moved stubbornly slow, letting her grinding hips do most of the work for him. Sakura's legs kicked helplessly on the sill, twisting, crawling to relieve the tension ripping over her skin. "You're soaking wet," Kakashi commented between kisses and bites on her neck, but she ignored him.

Moving faster, another finger pumped into her as his thumb circled her clit, the back of a nail flicking it. She tried to move with the hand, only to be held down. The pink-haired woman rolled her head back onto his shoulder, nails digging his arms. He could feel the release building in her, ready to be sprung if he chose to give it to her. Grinning lecherously at the moans ringing in his ears, the sliver-haired ninja chuckled. Well, everyone did say he was good with his hands. "You will come for me," he said with all the assurance of a man not about to be denied.

Sakura let out a long, tortured moan, shuddering. Oh she hoped he was right about that, and yet, she was never one to go down that easily. Despite being so close to the edge, her voice still managed to work as she growled out, "One day, you will come for me."

Kakashi's hand stopped for a second, wondering if she was serious about that threat or too far gone to know what she said. The pervert in him really wished it was the former. His hand moved again, and Sakura let go, muffling her cries in the side of his neck. Her body arched then shuddered over his, the wave of heat and wetness pouring off of her and onto his fingers. Long after her climax had subsided, her words still bounced around in the ninja's head. She did mean it right? Maybe she'd seriously consider it and make him pay off his end of the wager like that. Kakashi's breath was still ragged on her shoulder, the crotch of his beat-up pants considerably tighter against the curve of her rear. Sakura moaned again, slightly drowsy sounding, and quivering. His fingers were still inside of her, not letting the heat subside. Whatever cycle of deep thought he had drifted into, the sound of her voice snapped him out of it, "Kakashi . . .?"

His eye drifted down to the woman in his arms, synapses burning with fire at how much he wanted her. It was like he could smell the burning remains of his coherent thoughts frying. Breathing in deeply, the air smelled of Sakura . . . and burnt plastic? Wait, that didn't make sense?

"Kakashi!"

"Shit," he cursed while propelling her out of his arms and scrambling down from the window ledge. There was that horrid scent alright, and it trickled from the cord of their air-conditioner. Cursing more, the ninja crouched by the electric outlet and pulled it loose. Sparks flew along with the sound of static as he jumped back, stumbling onto his rump. Sakura jumped too with a yelp, rushing over to him. Kakashi groaned and sat back up, looking at the new burn blisters on his hands from the melted material. Within moments, the wounds were gone as the plastic flaked off; leaving his fingertips bright red while a trickle of her chakra flowed into him. "I hate appliances . . ." he muttered, going from staring at his hands to staring at the slightly browned and melted cord.

The smell had stopped, but so did the cool air. Moments later, the light he had kept on by the bed flickered and went out. "This isn't happening," Sakura said as she got up and walked over to the small black clock on one of the book shelves, the green numbers gone, "Damnit . . . power's out too. It must have surged, frying the AC. Now all our power is gone."

And it was a very hot day outside.

"Damn . . ."

* * *

It took about one hour for the summer heat to turn most of Konoha's living quarters unbearably hot in the power outage. In two hours, it had gotten to the point of suffocating in the heat and humidity. Suna wasn't this bad in the dry desert air, but the moisture in the air made every breath taken seem like miniature steam clouds.

Every window in their apartment was cracked open to catch whatever faint breeze happened to drift by. Sakura stood by one of those windows, fanning herself with an unguarded copy of Icha Icha Violence Kakashi had left lying around. Below her, the streets were more alive than normal as it seemed most of the village was affected. If it had been a tad colder, she would have thought it was a festival day from all the people darting in and out of the shade. Sighing, she wiped another bead of sweat from her forehead, glancing back to see Kakashi rummaging in their closet. She didn't know whatever had possessed him, but as of her tenth complaint about the heat and being too warm to do anything, he'd been in there.

It wasn't like it was any colder than by the window.

If she wasn't too sluggish to move, she might have joined him at least to see what in the blazes he was up to. Calling out was the better option, "Kakashi? What are you doing?"

"You'll see . . . If I can find them."

"You've been saying that for the past ten minutes. I could help you find whatever it is you're looking for, but I'm only moving for shaved ice right now unless the power comes back. Then I'm calling an AC repair or buying a new one," she said, frowned. The snowy dessert sounded good right about now, making her mouth water as well as reminding her that she hadn't eaten yet. "I can fix it," he said, sounding very sure in his claim.

"You? Yeah, right," she said sarcastically, snickering, "One Raikiri will not jolt it back to life."

"Your faith in me is astounding," he deadpanned, only to hear her go from mildly amused to howling with laughter, "Sakura, we can't afford a new one. We probably can't even afford to hire someone to fix it."

"But you can fix it?" she asked, sobering up, "I still don't believe it."

"One new power cord and it'll probably work. Same thing happened to a lamp that shorted. I fixed it."

"Is there anything you can't do?"

"Let me get back to you on that."

"Smartass . . . I can't believe I fell for you. Your mouth is worse than Genma's," she snorted in laughter, hearing a chuckle and more movement in the closet, "What are you doing in there?"

The ninja came out of the dark space and padded around their bed to the dresser, "Nothing now. I can't find them in there, so they must be in here."

Her eyes followed him, or at least followed his backside as he wiped his hands free of dust on his jeans. It was a crime the power went out when it did. All she needed was another fifteen minutes with him to get him out of those pants. If he saw her staring, he didn't say anything, opening her drawers and rummaging through them one by one. Sakura blinked, "Kakashi . . . is there a reason you're going through my underwear?"

"You said you were bored, right? And unbearably hot, right?"

"Miserably, what are you getting at?"

He stopped his looking and grabbed their swords from where they leaned against the wall by the dresser, tossing them on the bed, "We're going training."

A vein popped in her forehead as he went back to rummaging through her things. She scowled, "Are you insane or just masochistic? I know you're a sucker for training hard, but it is hot enough outside to cook eggs on the cobble stones. As a medic-nin, I advise you against being such a-."

Sakura stopped when he pulled out something red from one of the drawers, holding it up in the air. Since she rarely, if ever, went swimming, seeing the Copy-nin with her only, and scandalously small, piece of swimwear shocked her mind into silence. It was a gift from Ino before a trip to Wave Country on a mission, which was why it followed Pig's standard mode of dress, non-existence. Her friend thought she'd have enough downtime to learn to swim. Like that would ever happen. She never imagined she'd wear it, ever. But, from the gleam in his dark eyes, she knew he was planning on just that. He grinned, tossing the bikini on the bed along with one of her dark shorts and her forehead protector. "Get dressed," Kakashi ordered before turning back to look through his drawers.

It took her all of two seconds to register in her mind what he intended with handling her bikini like that, "We're going training . . . on water?"

"Yup."

"Water-walking? I already had that lesson with Tsunade-sama as a chunin."

"Not just water-walking, but combat too. You had one close call already. I don't want a repeat of it."

"I was poisoned, not stupid. It makes it hard to swim if your body is turned to mush."

"I knew that, but you haven't gotten close to water since have you?"

Sakura opened her mouth to protest, but she knew he was right. Kakashi was almost always right. She had been avoiding large bodies of water ever since nearly drowning. It wasn't that she was afraid, just, you know, cautious. Her thundering silence and uncomfortable shift in her green eyes told him all he needed to know. A sympathetic look crossed his features before he turned back.

"Besides, imagine how cold one of the lakes will be on a day like today," he said, reaching into the bottom of one of his drawers, "Water-walking, chakra with your sword, and some swimming, unless you'd rather sweat in here all day."

It was a tempting offer as Sakura glanced at the garments on the bed, biting her lip, "I want shaved ice before we get there, cherry flavored, I'm starving. There are vendors all over the park by the Academy. And the bells stay here."

Kakashi threw her a disbelieving look, unsure if he should have started this insane idea of his in the first place. But then again, a change to see his Sakura in a red bikini eating red ice? His perverted side crowed with delight at the image. He started going through his clothes faster, "Deal, now where did I put my shorts?"

She grinned, grabbing her clothes, "I thought you'd be into skinny-dipping?"

"Sakura . . ."

"You've corrupted me, Kakashi, no going back now," she said with a grin, slipping on the low cut crimson briefs.

He grinned back. There was indeed no going back now, but he wouldn't have had it any other way.

* * *

Takeo bristled in frustration. This wasn't how he wanted to spend an abnormally hot summer day, laid out on a park bench under a tree. Given that the power was out all over Konoha, he didn't have much of a choice. At least it was better than the stifling heat in his apartment, and probably better for him that he got outside a little. No one had disturbed him either, a plus. If there was one thing he liked during down time, it was being left alone when he wanted solitude. Loneliness was just fine with him, sometimes. He'd even dressed to appear as unapproachable as possible. His hair was pulled in a thick, dark braid down the back while wearing an over-sized white shirt, baggy black jounin pants, and sandals. And if he did happen to see any of team mates, he doubted they'd be able to tell it was him with the black framed reading glasses he wore.

Like day to night sometimes was how his appearance went. It even shocked him sometimes how much the ANBU uniform made a difference in transforming him. Takeo's thoughts snapped as he looked back at the notebook before him, and his scribbled hand-writing. It brought a smirk to his lips to think how pathetic he must have looked for a shinobi, sitting in a park doing nothing but writing. Glancing down the row of benches, he noticed he wasn't alone. There were other people all around and under the shade, none of them he recognized . . . till his eyes settled over a familiar purple-haired woman alone on one bench. "Sasaki?" he said aloud to himself.

It was her, wasn't it? Not that he was too surprised, practically everyone was outside today. She sat on a bench two down and on the opposite side of the path from his, her distinct hair tucked behind her ears. The kunoichi looked more relaxed than he'd ever seen her, and more alive, if marginally. Maybe it was how she was dressed in nothing more than a mint green sleeveless shirt, midnight purple shorts, and sandals. Maybe it had to do with the similar but thicker and larger notebook in her hands, and the dark wooden case beside her. As he watched, she kept exchanges pencils within the box, staring at the open field behind them, part of the Academy playgrounds. Was she writing too? Couldn't be, her hand made too big of movements, sweeping strokes on the page. Perhaps she was sketching.

That made him smile, knowing he had guessed correctly.

So Sasaki was an artist. That he could imagine within her. It made him wonder what she was working on so feverishly. There was temptation in that thought for Takeo, wondering what it would have been like to look over her shoulder as she drew. But then again, he'd be breaking his own incognito solitude. Glancing back down at the notebook in his hands, he knew this wasn't a time for talking. He flipped to another page and started to write, but couldn't resist looking up at her again, a lock of purple hair falling out of place from her brow.

Why did he keep doing this, looking at Sasaki, wondering about her? He never thought about anyone before, not like that, with a budding fascination. Ever since their last training session before the heat wave struck, the conversation they had kept circling his head. It made him wonder too much about how much she'd lost, why she lost it, and why she still suffered. His hobby made him think like that, in plots and motivations, explanations of why people were the way they were. He knew his, he just didn't share them as freely as some people. Somehow, he doubted the kunoichi was that type of person either.

Before he could think on her any longer, her head shot up and looked directly at him. With a sudden bout of shyness, he hid behind his book. That was pretty damned close. This wasn't getting him anywhere. Reluctantly, he put the notebook down after a good minute of hiding and stood up, brushing himself off before wandering down the stone path past her.

It was better like this.

She was a team mate anyway. If his reputation held true, he'd be transferred off of Dragon Team eventually anyway. It never failed as each captain he'd ever had sent him off to someone else as soon as one mission went awry. Something always went out of control around him. It hadn't happened yet under Kakashi's command, and he'd been lucky.

Eventually his luck would run out, just as it always did, and it made him afraid a moment. He tried not to remember all the incidents, but sometimes they played through his head whether he wanted them to more not. It was as if his own memories wanted to torment him, so that he could never forget what he'd done, and what was done to him. Takeo shuddered, burying his hands in his pockets while the notebook was safely tucked under his arm.

Passing Sasaki's bench, he looked at her, wondering if she'd look up at him. But she didn't, staring intently at her work instead.

It was better this way.

* * *

The purple-haired kunoichi blinked, looking back at the bench to see that the man was gone. She frowned a moment, and couldn't help but wonder about him. Even at a distance and decidedly sloppy appearance, she'd seen that he was handsome, but desperately trying to hide it. The contradiction made her want to sketch him next when she finished drawing the kids playing in the field, but he was gone before she got a chance.

Maybe she'd see him again on another day in the park.

It was days like today that made her happy for leave. While it was abysmally hot, the power outage had driven those that normally would have been training or indoors out into the world. She liked this Konoha, everyone all together despite the worst, like the oppressive heat. Hayate like it too, and so did her parents, and her mentor. It was what they died to protect, what she would die to protect . . . almost. Sighing, she looked down at the picture of the playing children and wondered what made her decide to draw them in the first place. For a moment she thought to crumple it, but didn't, looking back at the field.

She had thought that was her way, to protect everyone and everything she cared about. In truth, Sasaki wasn't very good at it. While it may have been the Captain's orders to run and detonate the tags, she couldn't protect him regardless. She couldn't protect Yajima either. That seemed to be the way her life went, having the moments where she could have made a difference ripped right out from under her, leaving her behind again. At least the story didn't have too sad of an ending. Kakashi lived, saved by Sakura. Sakura lived, saved by no one but herself. Her team mates were so strong, she thought with a smirk at the irony. It made her feel useless, forgetting how she had helped in that desperate situation anyway. Now the two of them had each other to hold onto and protect.

Looking around, Sasaki wondered if there was anything left for her to protect besides Konohagakure itself. No, she knew there had to be more than that, and it had to do with the incomplete feeling she had ever since Hayate's funeral. It was not the loss she felt, but something else. It felt like her purpose was still out there, waiting for her to fulfill it. Being in stasis was a good phrase to describe her since his death, waiting for whatever was to come came. Till then, the incomplete feeling lingered over her heart, but she got used to it. Life went on after all, with or without Sasaki.

Glancing down the path, she then noticed something pink. It made the sword-wielder smile, and turn to a free page in her sketch book. There was something endearing about watching her captain walk hand in hand with his lover, her team mate. Despite the black face mask he wore, he looked happy, slouched, still, but not as if he carried a burden of worry with him. He didn't even look warm despite the dark blue shirt and shorts he wore, red swirls on the sleeves and side pockets. Of course, he must have been happy with Sakura walked beside him, gobbling down a cherry red cone of flavored ice, the sticky syrup running over her lips and down her chin. It matched the red bikini top she wore and little else. The sight made Sasaki wonder if she chose that flavor on purpose.

Passing by her bench, they didn't seem to notice her or her mad scribbling on the paper. It was too good of a moment to let pass, seeing about the closest friends she had left in a moment they'd forget weeks later. Fumbling with her case, she quickly grabbed the red pencil out of the few colored pencils she kept, adding color to the cone and Sakura against the black and white drawing. Finished for now, Sasaki idly traced a fingertip on Kakashi's mask then sighing. He'd found happiness after all, and life went on, in all its odd and twisting ways.

* * *

Jutsus Used/Mentioned, End Notes –

Raikiri - Lightening Edge

Yes, the kunoichi is Kakashi's dirty little book bears much resemblance to one Mai Shiranui of Fatal Fury/King of Fighters. I blame that reference on one of my fan-boy acquaintances.

To Be Continued in Lesson 04 of The Way of the Sword, Flowing Like Water.


	5. Flowing Like Water

The Way of the Sword

A Naruto fanfiction, By Serenanna

Lesson 04 – Flowing Like Water

Warnings and Disclaimers: I don't own Naruto or any of the characters. I'm just borrowing them to play with. I'll return them later, promise. There is adult content, and sexual situations in this story involving sharp, pointy objects. So, if you're under 18, leave now before your virgin eyes are scarred forever, if you're over 18, enjoy!

Story Notes: This is a Kakashi/Sakura fic, while other pairings may come and go. This story is a continuation of Ronsmyhero's Respect and Understanding. Reading that fic is a good idea in order to understand this one as there will be references from it. It is being written with her knowledge and stamp of approval. In case she ever makes her own sequel, this is an AU take. I know a fanfic of a fanfic probably isn't a good idea, but I'm giving it a whirl. Ronsmyhero, this is in honor of you. To that end, I am making an OC to be Yajima's replacement, and the way this story is shaping, he will be paired with Sasaki, eventually. Outside of the basics of the Naruto world, I'm a complete newbie. If this fic breaks a lot of canon as far as combat goes, I'm sorry. The style of sword combat I'm going with will try to be semi-realistic. If that's against canon, again, I'm sorry. If the story to this point seems episodic, it is supposed to be that way. There is an underlying theme and plot outside of the swords, which will be revealed in time. Lemons of various shapes and sizes will abound along with mild drama, angst, buckets of humor, raunchiness, fluff, and action. This is your fair warning.

* * *

The sound of a loud splash filled the air around the lake sound of Konaha, disturbing the few birds in the area left that hadn't already taken flight at the first woosh of water.

"Damnit!" Sakura screamed, flailing enough to create a mini tsunami on the surface of the lake. Kakashi tried to show no emotion when just about anything he felt would only have upset her more. It was hard fighting down the grin though, especially without his usual mask to hide it. They'd been out here for a half hour so far, scant clothes scattered on the rocky shore since they arrived along with the sword harnesses and sheathes. It had to be one of her off days, the fact that it had been a while since they last trained together, or just the heat that made her worse than he'd expected. "You're doing it again, Sakura. I thought Lee beat this lesson into you," he lectured once she'd stopped splashing and treaded water.

With an unfeminine grunt of effort, she put chakra in her hands to push up on the water as if it were solid ground. Sopping wet, she got back up, feet skimming the surface of the lake, "He did, but old habits still die hard."

"Then stop it," he frowned, reminding her of how scary he could be sometimes, "You should have enough combat experience under your belt to know that you don't anticipate and think when your enemy is going to hit you. Next time, react, quicker. Stop thinking and move, or I will hit you."

For a moment, the kunoichi's green eyes hardened, infuriated till it melted away. He wanted her pissed and off balance. She was not about give him that satisfaction. Inner Sakura glared at Kakashi; he always had to be right, didn't he? No matter what that little voice inside of her said, she wasn't giving in to him by getting angry. Don't think, just move. That was fine by her. She skated across the lake surface, bending low at the last moment and striking upwards. Water caught on the tip of her blade and splashed upwards. He ignored the instinct to flinch as it sprayed across his face to parry instead. She twirled on one foot, slicing in the other direction which he spun away. Driving forward, their swords crossed, locked. She started to gather chakra in her arms to push him back, but all he did was grin, "My turn."

The silver-haired ninja rolled to the side, tripping her with a low kick as she went sailing forward. Not about to fall in again, her free hand pushed the energy into the water, rebound off of it. Her body flipped in a cartwheel, feet planted back on top of the lake. Sakura turned just in time to see him charge her. She reacted, just like he said, side-stepping out of the way. Kakashi skidded to a halt and ducked, just missing her swing that went right over his head. He slashed upwards only to be blocked by her bracer and thrown to the side. Growling at the short burst of chakra she put into the defense, and the small kick, he quickly found himself falling over.

The ninja twisted in the air till he could put his free hand down. Chakra burst across the surface, keeping him from going under. With a kick and a flip, Kakashi ended up in a crouch across from her, "Clever girl."

Sakura giggled with a teasing flick of her tongue towards him before mirroring his stance, "I learn from the best."

He scowled as her heels dug in, "Why is my favorite student such a tease?"

"Learned that too."

"Not from me."

She burst out laughing then yelped while leaping right, narrowly missing the tip of his sword when it chopped downwards. Sakura sliced sideways at Kakashi, repelled by the armguard as he surged back to his feet and towards her. She gasped his closeness, very much invading her personal space. He grappled her waist, smirking as her cheeks flamed, apparently forgetting that they still had short swords in their hands. With another yelp, the silver-haired ninja tugged the kunoichi off balance with him, purposefully falling over into the water. Her voice turned into a shriek at the sudden blast of cold, clinging to him as they plunged beneath the surface.

Sakura looked up to see him grinning at her through the rippling sunlight before quickly leaning in. When his lips touched hers, she nearly forgot they were under water and almost took a deep breath. Kakashi was going to kill them both by kissing like this, but as he held her against his chest, she found that it would be quite a way to go.

Moments later, his legs kicked up, dragging them through the water till they broke the surface. The pink-haired woman pulled away gulped for air, her lungs burning as much as her cheeks. When he chuckled darkly at the dazed look on her face, Sakura realized she was still wrapped around him intimately, her limbs in more places than she wanted to know. Why did they keep ending up like this? They were supposed to be training! Before Kakashi could take advantage of the situation what so ever, she splashed backwards, pointing the steel at his neck. Glancing down with one dark eye, his chuckles turn into outright laughter, "Now she wants to fight."

With an aggravated howl, Sakura's fist came down in the water, laden with a touch of chakra. The resulting wave cut off Kakashi's laughter as he dove underwater to keep from being bowled over in the torrent. Her anger died down slowly and her hyperventilating breath steadied . . . at least until panic set in.

The ninja hadn't come up for air yet.

She twirled around in the water, not even seeing a ripple, an air bubble, or a body. Where was he? She hadn't drowned him . . . had she? This was another joke, right? Panic became near-hysteria, "Kakashi?! This isn't funny!"

There was silence on the lake.

"Kakashi!"

Something brushed Sakura's back, and she nearly jumped out of her skin, "Kakashi!"

An arm grabbed her side, pulling her backwards as a voice slide over her ear, "Rule number two."

"Never let your guard down," Sakura repeated blankly, thrashing in the water with her temper flaring, "You really are a bastard today, teasing me this morning, and now being playful when we should be training."

"I thought I was supposed to be the serious one when it came to that?"

"That's exactly my point! What's wrong with you?!" she flailed, making her point as water splashed all over them. Kakashi's arm tightened as she tried to wiggle free again, trying not to chuckle at her incessant huffing. Ok, maybe he was over doing it. He was serious for the first thirty minutes of their battle. Even he needed breaks sometimes. This was their leave after all. Wasn't he entitle to a little bit of fun every once in a while? Maybe he wasn't allowed that much when it came to training. Once that word came out of his mouth, everyone seemed to except him to hand their heads back to them. His former pupil seemed to expect that from him as well, not games and distractions. Maybe he was losing it. Damn Genma for calling him 'fuzzy'! She stopped trying to soak him as soon as she heard a frustrated sigh in her ear, "Nothing's wrong, Sakura . . . I . . ."

He wasn't about to admit to her that he was going soft. He'd never live it down, and he was much too old to build his image of scary seriousness back up again. But what else was he supposed to tell her? She didn't say anything, almost hearing the ninja's brain rapidly trying to switch gears as they floated in the water. Maybe she shouldn't have been so hard on him. It was their leave after all. She was just . . . aggravated.

Maybe it was because she had been distracted by him. How was she ever going to get over working along side him from now on? Emotions could get them killed . . . or it could save them. Wasn't it because she thought he was dead that she single handedly battled her way through a field of shinobi to find him?

Sakura slowly turned around in the water, paddling in the rolling tide. He was still trying to come up with a response to her original question when he felt her forehead rest on his shoulder. "It's ok . . ." she said, her voice so sad that it crack right through to his heart, "You don't need to say anything."

"But-."

Her free arm rose up from the water and wrapped over Kakashi's neck before he could try to explain. She pressed closer to him, her face nuzzled between the side of his throat and her plate-covered forearm. "It's amazing, this love . . ." the dreamy lilt to her voice made his heart skip a beat, ". . . Saving and damning . . . I understand how you feel."

Words failed him.

What could he possibly say to that? She understood him, or claimed to. From the way she was snuggled against him, he believed she truly meant every word of it. Maybe he was wrong on the whole aspect of love being a weakness to him. All it took was one look at her to make him at least feel like he could take on the world all over again. Or maybe that was just his newfound idiocy talking. Either way, her words still seemed to strike him through and through with a touch of wisdom he couldn't deny. A small smile tugged on his hips, a rare one of pride for the woman so contently held in his arms. The look on his face was beaten down before she could see it, reaching up to ruffle her hair instead. Sakura giggled and he nearly melted all over again at the sound. Genma was so fucking right. He was going soft, damnit, but around her maybe it was a good thing. "Come on, one more round, and this time don't let me distract you," he said, trying his hardest to come off as authoritative.

It must have worked as Sakura's grip loosened and she swam back from him. There was a subtle shift to her green eyes that matched the nod of her head, belaying a determination. She wasn't going to let him distract her this time at all, and if anything, he could tell, that she would do her hardest to distract him instead. Kakashi grinned, "That's my girl."

* * *

The mid-afternoon heat seemed to give way to a welcomed breeze as Sasaki wandered down the street, tucking a sweat-soaked lock of purple hair behind her ear. She held her sketch book and pencil case under her arm, the other hand holding them protectively in place. The power still hadn't come back on if the crowds shopping under the shaded stalls were any indication. Seeing the line for the shaved ice at the park confirmed that as well. You'd think half of Konoha was there by the crowd of people winding through the grassy paths. The only reason she left the park was because her stomach dictated that she needed to eat, growling loud enough to scare some of the birds.

There was a nice corner place near her apartment with hand-rolled and stuffed onigiri for take out. It was perhaps lazy of her when she could just as well make her own, but Sasaki was getting used to fast food. The only time any of shinobi she knew cooked was when they were forced to camp for the night. In fact, she couldn't remember what meal she had cooked last that wasn't breakfast or instant something. Just as she was jogging her memory while turning the corner, her shoulder bumped hard into someone else. The sketchpad and case got knocked out of her arms, clattering onto the packed dirt and falling open. It was like an exploding tag had gon off within the case, sending pencils and tools everywhere. "Shit," she swore under her breath, reaching down to grab them before her things were trampled or covered in dust.

"I'm sorry. I didn't see you. I should really watch where I'm going," said a male voice next to her.

She sighed, ignoring him for the moment to clean up instead. There were also papers everywhere from some split notebook, scrawled writing covering each page. It was a mess and frustrating, but whoever she bumped into apologizing only made it worse. "It's fine," Sasaki bit off harshly, "I wasn't paying attention either."

"But it's entirely my fault. Lemme help you," the guy said as she didn't look up once to see who it was. Her pride kicked in at the mention of help. She was a kunoichi. She didn't need help like some damsel in distress. "I'm fine, really," she said while furiously grabbing pencils, "I can handle dropping something. Those papers yours?"

He still crouched next to her regardless, "Uh, yeah, damn, the binding broke I think. Here's another one."

One of the special soft lead pencils was shoved into her reaching hand rather rudely and hurriedly. The brush of his fingers made her nearly drop the piece of wood again as if he had shocked her. Those didn't feel like a man's hands, or at least any man she knew. They were much too soft and unscarred at that with nails that were perfectly cared for. And yet, his hands still felt strong. He had to be a civilian, maybe a client, or a lord, someone rich to be so idle. It annoyed her to think someone like that had run into her and thought she was so helpless. She jammed the pencil back into her case. "I'm sorry about this. Your leads must be broken now. Lemme buy you a new set," he said, sounding flustered as the papers he picked up rustled.

A few escaped his hands, and Sasaki smirked.

Now look who's helpless?

"It's fine. I drop them all the time anyway," she said as she grabbed a few loose papers, "Lemme help you."

"No! Err, no. It's fine. I got it," he said, even more nervous sounding. She almost wanted to giggle at the situation, but gulped it down, handing him the few pages from the ruined notebook she did grab. He took them all too eagerly, nearly stuttering a reply, "Thank you, I'm, um . . ."

"Don't mention it. This was probably both our fault, I'm-."

Sasaki's own apology stopped short as she looked up to see a pair of sapphire blue eyes framed by black glasses. Her heart nearly stopped. "Takeo?" she said softly, blinking.

"That would be my name. Yours is Sasaki, remember?" he said with a slight grin.

Despite every mature bone in her body, the kunoichi still blushed, if only for half a second till it turned into anger. He was teasing her like they were some pimply Academy students and not grown-up shinobi. He probably thought he was being funny too from the grin on his face. And yet, that grin, which she had to admit fit the dark haired man perfectly, faltered drastically. "I'm sorry, again. I shouldn't have bumped into you. It really was all my fault, I didn't know where I was going, and-," he apologized so profusely that it was becoming unseemly, scratching the back of his mop of black hair.

Sasaki frowned, grabbing her book and case again while struggling back to her feet, "It's fine, really."

"Oh, lemme help you up!" he said, hopping up so quickly that he nearly dropped his ruined book again. Before she could protest, she was yanked upwards by a strong arm round her back. She blushed, again, and this time the ruddy pink across her face stayed put even as she pulled away from him. "I-I'm fine, Takeo, really!" she huffed, dark eyes glaring at him, "I am thoroughly capable of taking care of myself!"

"I-I never said you weren't . . ." he stammered, eyes of deep blue big behind the glasses, "I guess I should be going . . ."

Slowly, the man backed off, turning away from the irate kunoichi as she tried to think about what just happened. That hadn't gone well at all. She didn't mean to yell at her own teammate for goodness sake, even if he annoyed her to no end. Had that really been Takeo? He seemed . . . geeky, hard to imagine at all with how he looked in the ANBU uniform. He even acted the part. And glasses? It dispelled some of the mystery about him, but created whole new ones. Either way, she couldn't let him walk away without some sort of closure. Sasaki started after him, "Wait! Takeo!"

The man stopped, turned so abruptly that she had to skid to keep from running into him again. He stared at her dumbly, blue eyes blinking, "Uhhhh, yes?"

"I'm sorry, for yelling at you. You didn't deserve it, and um . . . thank you, for the help," the purple-haired woman said in a sudden bout of nervousness herself. Why was she nervous? Probably because she didn't say she was sorry or thanked anyone in a long while. If Takeo detected how uncomfortable she was, he didn't show it, "Don't mention it. I wouldn't be much of a gentleman if I didn't at least offer."

Her lips turned into a smirk, "I didn't know shinobi men were that much of gentlemen to begin with?"

He laughed nervously, scratching his hair again, "Yeah, well, I guess I'm overcompensating for the others."

Sasaki couldn't help but laugh softly at his joke, wiping some of the dirt and sweat from her brow as the sound gradually stopped. "You know, this is first time I've seen you outside of the training grounds," she said, holding back a smile, "Do you live around here?"

"Ah, um, no, I was just in the park, with the power outage and all."

"I know. I was just there myself, but I didn't see you there."

"Oh . . . I didn't see you either . . . Are you headed home? The power's still out, you know."

"I know. I was hungry as I haven't had lunch yet. I don't suppose you'd . . .?" Sasaki started to ask, her voice trailing off before she could complete the question. Damn, she was nervous again. Asking a man out to a meal, no matter how friendly she was with them, was another thing she hadn't done in a while. She hadn't even asked Kakashi out to a meal, ever, and she'd known him much longer than Takeo. Then again, she couldn't remember the last time she ate a meal with anyone regardless of gender. "I . . . um, ate already . . ." he said, sounding slightly despondent, "Maybe some other time?"

"How about drinks Friday night?"

"Excuse me?" Takeo asked, blinking rapidly, blushing himself. Sasaki grinned, watching his face go from just pink to bright red in moments. She was sure if he had stuck his finger in an electric outlet, his long hair would have stood on end exactly like that as well. It was almost cute. "The Captain and Sakura are usually there that night. I know you haven't seen her that much with leave and all, so it might be nice for our team to meet up, just to get to know each other better," she tried to reason with him while reasoning with herself why she was asking him in the first place.

"I don't know, I might be doing something you know, or um-," he was sputtering again.

"It's drinks, with friends, not a date."

But as soon as that dreaded word was out of her mouth, it almost felt like she was asking him out on a date. Maybe this wasn't sure a good idea after all. It was impulse that made her ask in the first place really, and she rarely got impulsive. There was just something about the way he asked her for another friendly meal sort-of date that made her do it. And really, when was she ever going to get another chance to ask him, her elusive teammate, to do anything with her? Sasaki smiled as the wheels visible whirled in his head, thinking over her offer. Maybe he needed a stronger nudge, "I'll even forget about the glasses."

"Oh, um, oh!" Takeo said with a start, pulling the black frames from his eyes and quickly folding them up, "I don't even know why I'm wearing them, they're just for reading."

"No wonder you bumped into me."

"I'm sorry?"

Sasaki's grin widened, "Do you usually keep apologizing like this?"

"Um, sometimes, when I'm nervous, like right about now . . . did I just admit that out loud?"

"You did," her grin faded in a gentle smile, trying to put him more at ease, "So, Friday?"

"Um . . . I don't know . . ."

"Please?" she asked again, "I'll even buy."

"No! No, I couldn't let you do that! That wouldn't be right at all, I'll buy!"

"So are you going drinking with me, I mean, us then?" Sasaki corrected herself quick enough to be barely noticeable. Where had that come from? Takeo stood there a long moment looking at the purple-haired kunoichi. What in the world she ever wanted with him, he didn't know, least of all at that moment. Even he didn't want himself right then and there. She'd caught him at his absolute worst. Not only did he look like hell probably, but he was very, very much off kilter from bumping into her. Plus he was lying to her. He had seen her at the park, and he was starving for food, but he wasn't about to admit it so easily. The lies only came because he wanted to get away, but now this proposal, drinking, with her, among others. Alcohol alone wasn't a good idea for him, being out in public and potentially drunk was even worse of an idea.

Her whole insistence smelled of entrapment, and yet, Kami-sama help him, he was falling for it a little. She had a good point a while back since they hadn't seen Kakashi for a while, yet he should have said no. He was thinking no. But the look in her dark eyes was sure to be disappointed if he said that word. Maybe he could find a way out of later, much later. "Ummm . . . alright, I guess," Takeo said, scratching his hair again before batting his hand back down, "Damned nervous habit . . ."

Sasaki's smile turned up into a near beam, making his heart beat erratically a moment before she spoke, "Great, I'll see you there then."

"Sure, um, bye, Saki-chan," the black-haired man said as he backed away skittishly, waving at her slightly. He nearly bumped into someone else, jumping to avoid the collision before swiftly turning and almost running down the street.

Sasaki stood there watching his entire retreat with bewildered but bemused expression on her face, her head slightly tilted to the side. She was almost certain that was the only time a man had run off on her before she even drew a weapon. The kunoichi huffed slightly, not knowing what to make of him anymore. The geeky side was . . . oddly refreshing in the sea of toughened up, macho ninjas populating Konoha, yet completely unexpected. If this was the real him, what was he doing with such a perverted jutsu and matching seductive yet mysterious reputation? The two halves didn't meet in her mind at all. His behavior reminded her of quite a few gein boys, not an ANBU operative. Not even Hayate had been that nervous around her.

Hayate.

Just the thought of him sobered her back up. So many years and it still felt like too soon to be thinking about other men, even ones she was just acquaintances with. She'd asked him out for just a friendly drink between teammates that was all. Nothing would ever come of it. She sighed. Nothing ever did anyway. Sasaki turned, her stomach growling in protest of not being fed. "Right, food . . ." she said aloud, smiling to herself.

Onigiri was nice, but right about now, after standing in the sunshine and heat for so long, shaved ice sounded so good.

* * *

Sakura ducked the sword swipe, and rounded off another kick at Kakashi's abdomen. His hand caught her foot and, with a burst of chakra, she pushed off of him. The kunoichi somersaulted through the air backwards, landing with a slight crouch before she charged forward again. He parried each strike of hers easily, darting backwards. When he'd said the other day that sword fighting was analogous to dancing, he'd meant it. Sakura had apparently started to take it to heart after another thirty minutes into their duel in the sun and on the water. Round and round they went, blocking thrusts, ducking kicks, parrying slices, barely stopping long enough to catch their breath. She was focused, and reacting to each strike he made. While she hadn't hit him yet, he hadn't touched her either. He was beyond sweating in the heat as she didn't let up or foul up long enough so he could dunk his head in the lake under them.

The pink-haired young woman wasn't doing much better. She wasn't giving in this time, attempting to disarm the shinobi as her sword twirled rapidly around his. Kakashi pulled away hard before she could complete the movement, yanking her off-balance. A chakra laden sandal stomped on the water and held despite the splash as she pivoted back towards him. She didn't know how much longer she could keep this up. Her arms felt like lead as he pressed in again with a loud bang of steel on steel, locking swords. The Copy nin looked just as tired, gritting his teeth while fighting against the chakra she poured in to reinforce her arms. "This is the longest single duel we've had. You won't last against me. You don't have the stamina, give in," Kakashi hissed, free hand on the dull back of the blade.

"Never," Sakura said under her breath, throwing her whole body into stopping him even if she felt the steel shudder at the pressure, "You just don't want to lose to me again."

"You didn't fight fair, didn't count."

"You lost a bell! It always counts," she yelled back as he scowled, "Rule two, never let your guard down, your favorite. Not this time."

"So you intend to fight no matter what?"

"Isn't that the way it should be?" the kunoichi bit back, her arms buckling as she bit her lips to keep from cursing out loud. She should have blown him away, but she wasn't, couldn't. She could barely stay on top of the water anymore as her knees started to bend. She wasn't going to give in, not now. Kakashi could see that, and purposefully let up on her, something he rarely did during training. Sakura lurched forward till they were evenly matched again, standing even closer as she could feel the heat rolling off of his half-naked body. Damnit, she was getting distracted again by the intense stare of his dark eye, the other half covered with the lopsided forehead protector. She'd seen that look in his eye before, like he'd already stripped her naked in his head.

Her knees buckled again for a different reason.

Sakura pushed back desperately, but he didn't move and neither did she, still locked in a stalemate against one another. Kakashi leaned in even closer but she turned away, his panting breath sliding over her sweat-soaked skin, "Distracted?"

"Fuck off," she cursed. Giving in to the temptation to kiss him into oblivion was not an option, not this time. He didn't seem fazed by hearing the harsh swearing at all. It wasn't the first time he'd had that particular epitaph hurled at him either, and hearing it from Sakura made him grin. He didn't know which side of the cherry blossom he liked better, when she was as peaceful and serene as water in a placid lake, or as violent and determined to break her own path as rapids, like right about then.

Now who was distracted?

Her eyes refused to meet his, igniting a touch of anger. "Look at me, Sakura," he demanded when her green eyes still stubbornly stayed locked off to the side, "Would you look away from an enemy?"

She looked back at him alright, glaring, "Would you let up on your enemy? Ever?"

Guess she figured it out after all, "No, but you're not my enemy. Would you let an enemy distract you this much? Like this?"

Kakashi's leg slid in between hers and he was suddenly a lot closer than before, forcing the kunoichi to bend back to avoid being pressed against him. "N-n-no," Sakura stammered before going back to glaring, "I'd knock their balls into their throat first."

He winced. She smirked, biting out a retort, "Would you?"

"Would I be distracted by a beautiful kunoichi like you?" he asked. The elaboration on her original question made jealousy dance in her green eyes. He better answer no, her inner voice threatened, already cracking her knuckles. And yet, the lazy droop of his eye refused to be anything by amused at the expression on her face. "It could happen. I'm still human after all," Kakashi said lowly, her body threatened to swoon in exhaustion and treacherous lust, "Still male too."

"Pervert."

The word came out of Sakura's mouth as if it was a curse, more than just a touched pissed off and disgusted. But to Kakashi, her voice sounded sexy as hell in the heat of that moment, leaving him with only one impulsive response, "And you know it."

His lips came down on hers before she could give voice to another name for him, silencing her. She fought against his mouth once the shock wore off, clamping her teeth shut tight in anger. With the last of her strength, Sakura tried to push him away but the shinobi didn't budge, grabbing her wrist instead. She broke the kiss with a rear of her head, ready to yell at him till she noticed his smile. Her anger faltered drastically, "What?"

"Nope, you've spoiled me for the opposite sex. I doubt I'll be distracted by another woman ever again."

Sakura's concentration broke completely along with control of her knees. With a start, she flailed backwards and sunk like a rock with a heavy splash. Laughing, Kakashi let go of the chakra running through his feet and dropped into the water as well. She popped back up sputtering, pink hair everywhere as she furiously tried to wipe the strands away from her eyes, "Damnit! Why do you always do that?!"

"Do what?"

"You know what I mean!"

His grin widened with impish intent, "No, I don't. What do I always do?"

"You do too know! You just want me to say it so you can twist my words again! I'm not stupid! You always do this! You find exactly the right thing to say and when to say it so that I'm always flustered, or wrong, or just plain stupid yet you still manage to boost my ego at the same time! One word from you and my knees turn to mush, my stomach feels like millions of butterflies trying to break free, and all I can think about is you! It's like I'm twelve all over again, which is so stupid because I thought that I've grown out of that stage, and you keep proving that I haven't! It annoys the hell out of me!" she yelled, splashing water as his grin widened then softened into a smile.

He was actually smiling, and she had put that look on his face.

Didn't he know how good he looked when he smiled? Keeping his mask on sometimes was a sin to deprive women of such a sight, and yet, she liked the idea keeping his smiles a dirty little secret just for her enjoyment.

The kunoichi stopped long enough to take in a swallow of air, her cheeks deepening to about the shade of her hair color, even in the cold water, "And despite everything I still want you all the damned time! Like right about now when you keep smiling like that, even if I'm dead tired! I want nothing more than to kiss you when you look like that, but it's a distraction! I'm letting my guard down, and I can't afford that! But if you stop smiling I think I'll just die! And I still love you no matter how insane you make me! And I really want to kiss you! And-"

Sakura's ranting came to an abrupt stop when Kakashi did kiss her, quickly and chastely as he leaned over her. At just the flutter of his lips, her thoughts suddenly became entirely irrelevant, lost like a pebble in a fast-moving stream. He was doing it again, making a fool of her with the simplest of things, but she didn't seem to care anymore. After pulling away, he started to swim backwards towards the rocky shore until her hand grabbed his shoulder and hauled him back. This time, she didn't give the Copy nin a chance to get away, her arm latching around his neck as she kissed him. Her lips weren't gentle or innocent, overpowering him till they almost dropped below the water level again.

His arms held her on instinct, one wrapped over her waist and the other over her shoulder, clutching and turning the sword still in his hand. Pulling back slightly, Sakura grinned before tightening her grasp and kissing him again, deepening it with a tilt of her head. This was what she always wanted, this state of being and happiness, despite the pain it brought some times thinking of how they got to this point. It wasn't perfect, maybe never would be perfect, but it was hers. Kakashi was hers. If her twelve year old self had heard that, she would have died of shock. And yet, no matter how much her little heart had pined over the years, she couldn't imagine another man in her life like this. Not even Sasuke.

Her hand reached up into his silvery hair, gripping the wet tangles as she forced her way into his mouth. The ninja responded back by holding her tightly against him, a slight needy growl in his kisses. His hand over Sakura's waist sudden dropped down, groping a cheek of her rear which made her pulled away from his mouth with a gasp. Reflectively, her hips pushed against his, and she shuddered from what she felt there. "Here?" she asked, the shiver in her voice from more than the cold water.

"You're coming with me," Kakashi whispered, towing her along with him towards the shoreline. Sakura didn't resist as he moved quickly through the tide, half-carried against him. She was, after all, entirely too eager to pick up from there they'd left off earlier in their apartment, before the electrical disaster struck. As soon as they made it to the boulders covering the bank, he lifted the kunoichi up on top of a flat stone ledge, tossed his sword aside with a clatter, and then crawled up to join her. She threw the weapon aside as well, and took his face between her hands, kissing him. Water dripped everywhere, but neither of them seemed to notice, too wrapped up in each other's mouths. Sakura's hands slipped over Kakashi's neck into his hair, hugging him tightly while slowly drifting down to lie on her back. He let her pull him down, covering her body with his. She arched up against him as her legs parted and wrapped over his, tangled up together even further. The ninja pushed her back down, and looked into her green eyes, words dangling on the tip of his tongue.

A small grin tugged on her face. Somewhere in the middle of all their kissing and groping, his forehead protector had been knocked upwards, barely remaining on his head. Her fingers tugged it the rest of the way off, and threw it aside. Looking at Kakashi's mismatched eyes, she could see that he was wrestling with his control, trying to remain still on top of her. And yet, his strong arms shook, barely enough to be noticeable. That quickly? He usually didn't slip this badly. It was just the way he was, tightly wound and in control some times, his armor against the world much like the mask. At least, he was that way until she striped the defenses from him. A look of compassion crossed Sakura's jade eyes, softening as her hands cupped his face. His eyes closed, "What am I going to do with you?"

"Anything you want," her hips swayed suggestively even if her voice's tenderness was a paradox to her actions, "I need you."

The Copy nin descended on her, the choice lingering in his eyes made up for him. His lips went straight for her neck, making her pulse jump with a gasp. He pulled at the bracers on her forearm, loosening the straps, and flinging them off. The gloves followed, metal hitting the rocks with a clink. His set of armor followed as well as she struggling to pry his hands away long enough to take them off.

Kakashi didn't stop once his bare palms touched her damp skin. She was getting to him again, the feeling crawling in his thundering blood as much as it jolted down his spine. It worried him, this growing sense of reckless abandon he had around her. He tugged the red knot at the back of her neck opened. She kissed him again, and the fabric shifted off her breasts, drawing his attention downwards. This was what he was afraid of as he touched her, all the parts of him not thinking seriously at that moment relishing her sighs and moans into his mouth. How was he ever going to be able to handle situations of life and death again with her right beside him, facing it too? The second knot at her back came loose, and the bikini top was tossed aside as he hunched down to kiss the pale orbs.

The thoughts still flittered at the back of his mind, unable to forget how close their mutual end had come already. Her back arched when his mouth enclosed over a stiff nipple, driving her hips further against his. He was over thinking this again; he should be happy, right? She loved him, and wasn't going anywhere, least of all at that moment. She was back on his team and under his protection. Kakashi's hands fell to the stringy briefs clinging to her hips like only wet spandex could. He wanted to snap them away and take her, roughly, like she was his, because she was his. Instead his fingers slid over the fabric, touching her center through the material. Sakura's nails scratched his shoulders and down his arms, the slight pain clenching his heart as much as his crotch. He cursed, under his breath, and yanked the red bikini down while dropping back off the cliff into the water before the heat overtook him.

The fabric came off her legs easily and tossed, lost somewhere on the growing pile of items. Kakashi grabbed the kunoichi's hips, pulling her across the ledge till she almost hung off of it. He wasn't delicate at all in pulling her legs apart, and wasn't going slow either as his mouth and hands bore down on her folds. His tongue plunged into her with a long lick before latching onto her clit. Sakura's breath came in shudders, bowled over in the delirious heat that radiated in the sun and off her skin. Was there a part of him that wasn't thoroughly adept at sex? Hands, mouth, it didn't matter what he used; she still felt like she would die right there in his arms. She choked on the moan in her throat, not about to give him the satisfaction of knowing how close she was already after so little foreplay.

But then again, Kakashi already knew as he lapped at the flood from her mound.

She was more than ready, and his thoughts were still troubled when he pulled away. The pink-haired young woman collapsed with a dissatisfied cry, her hands trying to push his head back against her. He didn't move one way or another. Her lips and body quivered as he looked up at her, "Please?"

His heart clenched again, the cold water doing little to cool off the rest of him. Wanting her so much hurt more than wanting her all the time. How was he ever going to go back to not having her around him constantly either? A small smile spread across his face, "Begging already?"

"Kakashi . . ."

The sound of his name so breathless on her tongue undid him. The trunks he still wore were discarded before either of them could blink. Her hand seized his length as he crawl back up the rock, precariously bent over her. The Copy nin stopped in his tracks, a threatening, dangerous edge on his voice, "Sakura . . . let go, right now, before I-."

"Begging already?" she said coyly. With a growl, he ripped her hand away, and grabbed both of her wrists, pinning them over her head to the stones. She bucked upwards, shattering his control as he drove in to her. The growl turned into a groan, words spilling from his mouth as he thrust into her hard and fast, "Why, do you have to be, so difficult? You're so, amazing, infuriating, wonderful, stubborn, captivating, willful, beautiful, smart-mouthed, sexy, distracting, and mine. I can't-!"

Kakashi cut off his own voice with a roar and grunt, shifting inside her till his length furrowed deeper. Sakura twisted under her, and he knew she had already climaxed once from her tightness and shaking. His head bowed to touch the stone over her shoulder, groaning while concentrating on the lightening running through his nerves. Just the sound of her voice made him want to lose himself completely in her, but perhaps he was already lost in her a long time ago. She had, after all, given him back his hope. After that, practically every part of him was hers for the taking. The realization made him let go of her hands and slow down to a near crawl even if his hips rolled into Sakura's with more than enough passion.

She clung to him, each hard thrust making her toes curl and legs squirm while wrapped over his hips. Kakashi did this to her on purpose, as if he was trying to tell her something between the quick breaths, grunts, and agonized groans. It would have infuriated her if she wasn't so certain that this was more than his usual performance. No, he was trying to convey something in the midst of desire, and it was something important and beyond words alone. Whatever it was, Sakura was sure her body could sense it singing through her soul.

Sweat joined the water dripping onto the rocks under them. Her shudders became more intense, building to another release. He nuzzled the side of her face, fighting himself to hold out as the will to take her forcefully pounced back. And yet, the sound of his name on her lips, begging him, broke down the last of his defenses as he pounded into her warmth. Sakura's back arched with another cry and release, bent under him and thrashing. He silenced her with a kiss before all of Konoha thought he was murdering her out here.

The tightness of her walls contracting around his sex pulled him over as well. The climax hit Kakashi like a ton of bricks crashing down onto him before being lifted away. He had wanted so much to forget about the worries plaguing him, them, that they filtered right out of his mind. Nothing else seemed to exist for that moment but Sakura, his Sakura. He shuddered as the seed spilled inside of her, the waves of pleasure passing and leaving him shaking in its wake.

She didn't move under him, lying perfectly still in the aftermath and consciously keeping herself breathing. Intense seemed like an underwhelming statement at that moment, the ninja on top of her going still as well. Every thought or doubt in her head was scattered to the wind, leaving her more peaceful than she'd felt in a long time. Kakashi didn't even move when her hand weakly reached up to his hair, playing with a wet strand of silvery grey. She turned her head slightly, looking at his mismatched eyes, the exact opposite expression in them. There was worry even in the red depths of the sharingan. "This wasn't a good idea . . ." he said, his voice so little it was non-existent, "I never . . ."

Her heart leapt into her throat, but she waited for the axe to fall silently. With painful slowness, his hand reached for hers, clasping their fingers together. He must have seen the panic in her eyes, his grip tightening with reassurance. "Did you mean what you said earlier?" Kakashi asked, "About love? Do you really think . . . it's that strong?"

"Yes . . . maybe more so today than ever. I will never leave you."

He shuddered again, burying his face in her neck, "Good . . ."

"Kakashi . . . why did you even have to ask?"

"I don't know . . . Ever since we started this training, I can't think around you, it's . . . it's been getting to me. Neither of us can afford to freeze when it matters. Rule number two."

"Yet again . . . I thought you said once sometimes rules are meant to be broken?"

"I don't want to break that one if it means either of our lives, Sakura."

Her heart sagged, "You don't want me on Dragon Team anymore, do you?"

Clever girl, she'd seen through him yet again. There was no point in hiding it from her any longer, "I thought I could handle it. I thought I could protect you easier if you were beside me."

Her hand let go of his and smacked his back hard, making his cringe in pain. It wasn't one of her usual taps he had grown accustom to her in anger as she kept on hitting. Something in his reasoning had really gotten her upset as she tried to push him off. Kakashi grabbed her wrists, pinned her back down while she bucked, screaming at him, "You stupid, arrogant bastard! Get off me!"

"Why did you hit me?" he growled, no matter how stupid it sounded at that moment

"I don't need your protection! I am not a child! I thought we were beyond this?! I've spent a year in ANBU without you around me for protection! If I bother you that much then ship me back to Fox Team, you ass!"

Shit, she had a point there. His mind changed gears into backpedaling in record time . . . if he was slow like Naruto. "Oops?" Kakashi said, sounding stupid enough to make the Kyuubi container's IQ seem ridiculously higher.

"Oops?! You just insulted me, and all you can say is 'oops'?! Get the hell off me so I can show you how much protection I need!" Sakura screamed in his face, trying to shove him off again. If her chakra wasn't exhausted from the training, he would have been through five trees by now, and yet, she was. The kunoichi bristled at her own ineptitude, about as strong as a newborn kitten under him. Kakashi's mind and emotions were still playing catch up as she eventually calmed down, opting to glare him into an early grave instead. That has come out entirely too wrong, especially after what they'd just done. He had underestimated her once more but not intentionally, just stupidly. But part of his fear was overestimating her as well. There had to be a way to handle this without pissing her off again. Well, there was one way, and it was the right thing to do even if his pride hated it.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way, and you know it. I . . . I am an idiot sometimes, this being one of them. So, I will explain then you can hit me all you want afterwards if it makes you feel better," he said so convincingly that Sakura sagged under him, no longer struggling. She didn't move, but simply nodded, and a small wave of relief went through him. So, she was listening. "It isn't that I think you're weak, because you aren't, or that you need to be protected, because you don't, it's because . . ." Kakashi tried to explain before dropping his head against the rock, pounding it, "Forget it. It's nothing any more."

Suddenly, he tried to get up only to be pulled back down again as her arms grabbed his neck. "No you don't! You're telling me what you meant!" Sakura shouted, "I'm not letting you run away from this!"

He growled and broke her grip easily, rolling off of the pink-haired woman and onto his back. Sagging back on the rock, he exhaled with a grumble of anger as his silver eyebrows knitted together, "It's not that easy. I'm not running away, it just . . . it just sounds stupid in my head to believe that I wanted to protect you in the first place, when I should be trusting you to take care of yourself."

Slowly, the kunoichi sat up and leaned over him, blinking down at the peevish look on his face. "You 'wanted' to protect me?" she asked with innocent curiosity in her voice.

A grin flickered on his face for a second then died into a frown, "Foolish, I know, stupid male pride, I know. I want to protect you because I 'want' to. I mean, I've done it since you were twelve, it's like second nature. But I can't get it through my head that you don't need it as much anymore, and I'm afraid . . ."

Kakashi trailed off at the look at on Sakura's face. Her green eyes shimmered with unshed tears despite the radiant smile on her face. For a moment, his heart skipped a few beats and his throat tightened. If she started crying now, he'd never finish. And yet, instead of crying, she bent over him on hands and knee. Her fingers brushed aside a forelock of wet grey hair plaster to his face then kissed his forehead. There was a reverence in the touch of her lips that made the shinobi blush, not bright red but pink. If anyone caught them on the rock ledge at that tender moment, he'd never live it down. "Sakura . . ." he said, trying to dislodge the lump choking his voice, "Do you . . . understand what I am saying?"

She pulled away slightly, still bent over him as her fingers twisted in his hair, "I think so . . . you're afraid, right? Around me?"

"Close, I'm afraid . . . that when it does matter, when you need me to protect you, and I am there, I'll fail. I nearly failed once already, going after that scroll. I've failed other times too . . . Ironic, isn't it? I have a wonderful track record, many successful A and S-rank missions, but when it comes to everyone I care about in my life, I fail . . ."

Kakashi sat up suddenly putting his back to her as he curled up on the rock ledge, hugging one knee as the other sandaled foot kicked the water. Sadness seemed to radiate off of him, and it pulled at Sakura's heart strongly. He wasn't just talking about Team Seven when he said that, his failure with Sasuke, or his neglect with training herself and Naruto. He was talking of Obito again, and Rin, maybe even his mentor, the Fourth, or even his father. She suppressed the sigh wanting to burst from her voice. He never did tell her about any of them, and she never pressed him for the full story. When Kakashi wanted to talk about his difficult past, he would when he was good and ready. Right now, he didn't need to explain, but from the hunch in his shoulders, she knew that what he really needed was her.

Sakura crawled up beside the Copy nin, and into his naked lap, her legs straddling his hips. It would have seemed sexual if he had reacted to her, but he didn't move a muscle except to drop his other leg into the water. Her arms hugged his neck and he flinched but didn't relax, even when her head fell on his shoulder. "You're not the only one afraid of what'll happen once this leave is over, Kakashi . . ." she confessed, a different set of tears coming to her eyes, "Remember what I told you, in the hospital together?"

How could he forget? It was the one talk that started this whole mess of a relationship, and started mending his heart. He didn't say anything, nuzzling her damp pink hair instead. "This is the same argument. You're punishing yourself again when you haven't failed anyone, least of all me. Neither of us wants to be the one left behind again, but . . . I'd still rather be with you like this, than not have you in my life at all. If it happens again, if you die . . . then I'll find a way to live, and be happy, knowing that you loved me," tears rolled down her cheeks, wet on his neck, but she didn't cry, "But, I'll never give you up that easily. Maybe one day I'll be the one to protect and save you . . ."

"You've done that already . . ." Kakashi admitted, snagging under her hug. He reached up to ruffle her short hair, but found himself hugging her instead, tightly as if she was going to break apart in his arms and scatter to the wind. They stayed like that, silent and still, too lost in thoughts and emotions to respond. Eventually, he relaxed enough to loose his grip on Sakura, taking comfort instead in just holding her close. "So . . . you still believe that right? It's that strong?"

She almost blinked a moment in confusion, but then smiled, kissing his neck, "I do. We'll be fine, Kakashi. We'll make it work. We are stuck together after all, neither one of us willing to let the other go."

A dark snort of chuckles passed over her shoulder, "It won't be easy . . ."

"Yes, you'll have to show some form of restraint," Sakura teased with a giggle. The soft laughter turned into a squeal as she felt a pinch on her rear. He chuckled again even as she struck his shoulder, "So will you, little girl. That means focusing your eyes on whatever our objectives are, not my ass."

She blushed, a nervous giggle in her voice, "You noticed?"

"Pakkun did, he told me about that one time."

"When you both walked in from the mission, and you left me with the dog while stripping on your way to the shower?"

"No, that one time I was giving him a bath and you kept looking at the back of my jeans. It's why I keep wearing them . . . but really? You saw that too?"

"How could I miss it? I followed you to the door before you closed it on me. And then you pulled me into the shower too after I came in to tell you dinner was ready. I burnt a whole pot of rice because of you."

For a moment, a lecherous grin sprouted on his face, quickly dissolving into a frown, "This is my problem . . ."

"You're not the only one . . . you'd think we'd be tired of each other by now, huh?"

Tired of sexing the beautiful, passionate woman sitting naked in his lap? That didn't seem possible, and it was a cause for concern. Kakashi's face became pinched in distaste, "We have a problem . . . I don't know how we'll be able to pull watch at nights without ripping our clothes off."

Sakura laughed, and kissed him. She had meant for it to be innocent, but with their closeness and nudity, the touch of his lips in reaction was anything but chaste. His hands groped her ass, pulling her hips down onto his while his tongue invaded her mouth to sweep over hers. The kunoichi moaned into the kiss and quickly caught herself enough to pull away, "Down, boy. Time to practice restraint."

Kakashii groaned, trying to ignore the stirring in his crotch yet he couldn't, "Restraint? What's that?"

She groaned too, but in annoyance, and decided it was time to get up as she tried to crawl away from him, "I'm too tired anyway to be fucked senseless by you yet again, so keep it to yourself, please? And I'm sore, too, damnit."

The Copy nin cringed, "I'll go slow?"

"You hate slow."

"So do you."

"Kakashi . . . I just want a nap . . ." Sakura said with a slump to her shoulders once she was away from him and standing up, "And to get out of this sun before I bake."

She had a point there. Neither of them were anything but fair skinned even if he was tanned in some places. Sunburns under masks were the most uncomfortable thing he knew, worse than senbon puncture wounds. She picked up their clothes and weapons, wandering down the shoreline for the rest. Watching her, the tenseness he'd felt earlier released some of its stranglehold on his mind and heart. No matter what she said to him, or how many times she said it, the guilt he felt over his past never released completely. But, the hope she gave him made it more bearable and less lonely. Kakashi couldn't imagine living without that feeling again, bringing him even more pain every time he tried to think about it. Yet, she was right. He wasn't in this fight alone anymore.

She really was so much stronger than he was if she could move on to a life without him. Sakura, like Naruto, was incapable of giving up on anyone in her life. Maybe that was why he loved her so much, because she didn't give up on him and his stubborn, guilt plagued ways either. He stood up abruptly and walked after her, tracing a hand across the curve of her back while she was bent over. She stood up with their things piled in her arms, and turned towards Kakashi only to be pulled back into his arms once more.

He kissed her, a soul-searing quality to it that nearly made her drop everything back onto the stones.

Her green eyes drifted closed, losing herself in the intensity and warmth of him. She could almost feel it in his lips, the desperate, heart-rending, but ultimately powerful love he must have felt for her. It made her smile as he finally released her, his hands kneading her hair. "I love you," Kakashi said, almost grudgingly with a small smirk, "Just thought you should know."

The smile on Sakura's face first quirked into a grin, as if she was about to burst in laughter, but then quickly turned into a beam. It was so hard for her not to drop everything and kiss him silly, yet she resisted, opting instead for a quick peck to on his cheek, "I know, I love you too."

Without warning, he swept her off her feet and into his arms, turning to carry her back through the forest. She gawked at him in surprise, struggling to hold onto him as well as their clothes, "Kakashi! Where do you think you're taking me?!"

"Shade, and probably a long talk in between bouts of sex and napping."

He sounded much too relaxed at his own words, which turned the blush in her cheeks. Well, she supposed it was one way to spend the rest of their hazy, late afternoon. And yet something tickled at the back of her mind, like she was forgetting something. All their things were in her arms, and not on the rocks. She did remember to water Mr. Ukki. Dinner? Food could come later, if their ice-box still had power. Dinner plans? Good question. "We're not supposed to meet anyone for dinner, are we?" she asked, nestled against his shoulder as she tried to remember.

"No," Kakashi answered firmly, not even huffing from her weight.

"You sure?"

"No . . ."

". . ."

"No dinner plans, Sakura, relax. Besides, even if there were, I covered our tracks. No one in all of Konaha is going to be able to find us out here."

"Famous last words, Kakashi."

"And as soon as I put you down, yours will be only my name, Kami-sama, and please," he threatened, the dark edge of his voice making Sakura's body flare in heat whether she wanted it to or not. He was right. There wasn't one restraint filled bone in her body when it came to him. Keeping her sensibility intact while being so close to him on missions would be hard, very hard. But as she watched his face in profile from his arms, she knew it would be worth whatever the future held for them.

This time, perhaps fate would fall on her side. And if it didn't, she'd make it, one way or another, for both of their sakes.

* * *

End Notes –

Onigiri – stuffed rice balls.

To Be Continued in Lesson 05 of The Way of the Sword, Ichiraku Confessionals.


	6. Ichiraku Confessionals

The Way of the Sword

A Naruto fanfiction, By Serenanna

Lesson 05 – Ichiraku Confessionals

Warnings and Disclaimers: I don't own Naruto or any of the characters. I'm just borrowing them to play with. I'll return them later, promise. There is adult content, and sexual situations in this story involving sharp, pointy objects. So, if you're under 18, leave now before your virgin eyes are scarred forever, if you're over 18, enjoy!

Story Notes: This is a Kakashi/Sakura fic, while other pairings may come and go. This story is a continuation of Ronsmyhero's Respect and Understanding. Reading that fic is a good idea in order to understand this one as there will be references from it. It is being written with her knowledge and stamp of approval. In case she ever makes her own sequel, this is an AU take. I know a fanfic of a fanfic probably isn't a good idea, but I'm giving it a whirl. Ronsmyhero, this is in honor of you. To that end, I am making an OC to be Yajima's replacement, and the way this story is shaping, he will be paired with Sasaki, eventually. Outside of the basics of the Naruto world, I'm a complete newbie. If this fic breaks a lot of canon as far as combat goes, I'm sorry. The style of sword combat I'm going with will try to be semi-realistic. If that's against canon, again, I'm sorry. If the story to this point seems episodic, it is supposed to be that way. There is an underlying theme and plot outside of the swords, which will be revealed in time. Lemons of various shapes and sizes will abound along with mild drama, angst, buckets of humor, raunchiness, fluff, and action. This is your fair warning.

* * *

Sweltering summer heat gave way to a late afternoon of at least some breeze passing throughout Konohagakure. Most of the village was beside itself with joy that the next day wouldn't be full of power outages and record temperatures again, maybe. And yet, the two figures lounging naked under one of the giant maple trees that surrounded the small lake east of the town could have cared less.

Kakashi stirred, barely sleeping in a half-awake state like always when out in the open or in unfamiliar places. The only place he ever slept like the dead was in his own bed . . . well, his and Sakura's bed now. At times when she was on mission and he was home alone, he still couldn't sleep right without her sprawled form all over him. It was tempting to nod off completely with her weight slumped on his chest, snoring lightly. The rough bark against his bare back put a stop to that every time his mind tried to drift away.

Sakura, on the other hand, was completely out of it. Her earlier resistance to being, as she so eloquently put it, 'fucked senseless' had mysterious disappeared as soon as he set her down by the tree. Afterwards, she's passed out quickly and stayed asleep when he moved her into his arms. The marathon of sword training they'd had since arriving at the lake hadn't helped condition either. He couldn't blame her since he felt exhausted as well. Whether he admitted it or not, she was getting better with the weapon laid next to his, both blades as naked as they were. While she would probably never be a mistress of the ninja-to like Sasaki, it made a good backup for when her strength and various tricks failed.

A last resort.

There his mind went again, worrying down into another death spiral when all he wanted was peace and quiet from sleep. It would have been so easy to let all of his cares go completely, but he couldn't, never that much, and never when he was this naked. If he had been less tired, he would have attempted to cover both of them up from prying eyes long ago. But as soon as his lover became a limp, unmovable lump on top of him, he suddenly didn't care if anyone stumbled upon them as long as they were left alone.

But maybe, as his mind started on another tangent, sleeping naked where anyone could see them wasn't such a good idea. They were shinobi after all, and outside the village. Who knew who was running around in the forest? It was a slim chance in hell that an enemy would pop up this close to Konoha, but stranger things had been known to happen. Fighting in the buff was not one of his favorite variations on their profession. Nothing good ever came out of it in his experience.

He was thinking too much again. It was time to wake up.

Slowly, stubbornly, his eyes cracked open only to be blinded by the late afternoon sun across the lake. Kakashi winced, and groaned, raising his arm slightly to shield his eyes. The orange and crimson light was much too bright for his liking as he stifled a yawn. Sakura murmured and snuggling him with a happy sigh, still lost in dreamland. For a moment he thought about disturbing her, but she looked too beautiful to move, pale gold skin under the failing light. The scent of water clung to her along with her floral shampoo. She always did smell good, except after training, and then she smelled even better after a shower. Every time he took a breath, she rose and fell with his chest, unmoving at all even when he purposefully breathed deeply. Sakura wasn't waking up any time soon without heavy prompting. Kakashi shifted, getting comfortable when it seemed like they were going to be a while still.

He almost drifted back into a light sleep again when, as fate would have it, he heard a rustle of leaves close by yet no chakra signature.

The Copy nin tensed, but stayed still as he listened. The most logical explanation, and one most befitting his paranoia, popped up first. It was an enemy masking their chakra. The leaves moved again but the sound was still far off, and louder, coming close. If they were this loud, they weren't a very good shinobi. He probably would have handled them with both eyes closed. But . . . it was better to be safe with Sakura so close to him than to be sorry.

His hand on her waist abruptly moved up to her shoulder. She stirred in his arms, murmuring louder, but not completely awake yet. Turning from her side to face him, the kunoichi buried her face in his chest, "Not now, five minutes."

"We have a visitor."

Her green eyes flashed open to stare at him.

The leaves rustled again over her left shoulder.

Sakura nearly bolted upright, but his arm pinned her still against him. "Don't move," he whispered harshly, and she froze, "Your pouch is on my right. Mine's on the left. We need a diversion. Kiss me."

Her inner voice freaked. Was he insane?! He wanted her to kiss him?! Now?! She wasn't given much of a choice as his hand moved to her thigh and pulled her forward till she was straddling his hips. He then suddenly groped her butt, making her squeal before cutting off the noise with a stolen kiss. Her hand went for the weapon pouch, but stopped short, much too preoccupied. Kakashi's tongue plundered her mouth, gripping her attention thoroughly when it should have been on arming herself with senbon. She pulled away to moan, loudly, and his lips fell to her neck. Sakura momentarily forgot about their audience and tried to grind her hips against his, only to be pinned by his hand. "No," he panted in her ear, sounding barely in control of his bland tone of voice, "Not now."

Her hand shot forward, grabbing the pouch while tilting her head to nibble on his throat. She moaned again, the sound of genuine pleasure jolting through his head. Kakashi growled, holding her tightly as her hips shifted over him again despite his protests. She wasn't making his easy on him, but he didn't doubt that he had the same effect on her with the shivers running down her spine. Once their intruder was taken care of, she was getting a lesson in obedience he'd love teaching. "Naughty girl, very naughty," he said loud enough to be heard clearly, evil intent making her shivers stronger.

Sakura's blush turned to scarlet. They were being watch for goodness sake, and he teased her!

He did feel good though, Inner Sakura said traitorously, adding that she could always do the same to him. She grinned impishly, giggling a response, "Maybe you should spank me."

Kakashi froze. That was the last thing he needed to hear from her as gave voice to his own perverted thought. For a moment, he thought of taking her up on the offer since she was asking for it. She was distracting him though, badly, and he wasn't the only one having trouble paying attention. This wasn't good. The leaves rustled again, and he swore under his breath for their intruder, trying to focus again, "Damnit, woman, I am a bad influence on you."

Sakura grinned, "Shut up, and kiss me."

He did just that, grabbing a handful of kunai as he rocked forward to claim her lips. Her arms wrapped over his neck to deepen the kiss, senbon poking at his back. Damn, she was focused. Maybe he wouldn't punish her after all. The kunoichi pulled away, grinning devilishly before lightly biting his earlobe, "Where are they?"

A shadow moved across the forest floor, the canopy of trees overhead shifting, "Above us and to your left . . . go!"

Sakura rolled off of his lap, letting the needles fly up into the branches. They hit the wood with a sharp thump. The shadow darted across the trees, and Kakashi threw the kunai in their path. A startled shout rose up with the thud of metal hitting wood, and the shadow spilled downwards through a set of hawthorn saplings and into some bushes. Whoever it was had fallen with a crack of branches that even made the Copy nin cringe. Sakura grabbed more senbon to finish off their intruder only to have her hand stopped short of throwing them, "I think they're out now."

And yet, the ninja's grip let go as soon as the brambles moved, reaching for more kunai himself. The weapons sliced through the air and the shadowy figure shot out of the bush and behind another tree. The pair of shinobi were about to throw another volley when a white handkerchief waved frantically from their opponent's hiding spot, "Ceasefire, damnit! I come in peace! Stop trying to fucking kill me!"

Sakura gasped then screamed as she recognized the voice and chakra, turning bright red, "Genma!"

Kakashi grabbed the pink-haired woman before she could even think of taking revenge on one of his friends. Instead, he pulled her into his lap and against his chest, covering up her nudity with his arms over her breasts and hips. Confused and still burning red, she tried to turn and look at him, another shout in her throat while attempting to break his hold. And yet, Sakura stopped at the fixed glare in his dark eye and red eye. If it was possible for his sharingan to bore a hole through the tree, it probably would have in the intensity of his stare. Her blush went all the way to her roots. Was he jealous? Kakashi's arms tightened over her with a grunt, hiding his face in her neck and hair. Sakura gasped as he bit down on her skin, sucking enough to leave a definite mark.

Oh no, he wasn't jealous; he was marking territory.

He still had a few kunai in his hands too, one of which was pressed close between her arm and breast, ready to be thrown, "Come out, Genma, slowly."

The white hanky stopped waving, and the senbon-sucker came out slowly, just like he was told. It didn't stop the impish grin on his face though, "Should I give you both five minutes?"

A kunai whirled through the air by his head, making him flinch, "Well if you didn't want to get caught, then you shouldn't be fucking in public! Don't blame me for finding you two!"

"This from the man who takes some of his nightly companions into the bar's back alleys and men's room," Kakashi said with a smirk that Sakura could feel pressed into her shoulder.

"Hey, at least I haven't had that much indecency lately."

"At least I'm getting some on a regular basis, which is better than your recent past."

Sakura's blush flared, resisting the urge to elbow the ninja for his comment on their sex life. Genma frowned, deeply, "At least I haven't gone soft, pick out curtains together yet?"

"No, too busy matching kunai holsters. How's Tsunade-sama?"

"Wouldn't know. Damned Anko won't leave me alone long enough to pay homage to our dear Hokage."

"I'm sure she loves the lip-service."

Sakura went from red to purple, holding her breath as the jounin was obviously getting an eyeful of the both of them, mainly her. It was making her angry being stuck there, naked, in the beginning of some mysterious pissing match between the two friends. Bringing up her mentor only added insult to injury. Whatever the hell they were squabbling over, quite frankly, embarrassed and pissed her off. Her inner voice came up with the brilliant idea that she should knock them both flat and sort it out later. It would have been sound advice if she didn't have the feeling this wasn't a social call. "What the hell do you want, Genma?" she asked curtly, "And stop looking at my breasts unless you want your balls acupunctured."

Kakashi shifted at her threat, "She'd do it too."

He frowned and looked away, his hand twitching in instinct to shield himself in case she made good on the threat. "A certain blond loudmouth has been raising hell outside of Ichiraku for the last hour, looking for you two. A very pregnant Hyuga woman has been trying to keep him placated with bowl after bowl of ramen," he grumbled, "I've been sent to personally say, 'You're late.'"

"I knew I forgot something . . ." Sakura groaned as she started to pry herself out of the Copy nin's clamping arms before remembering her modesty, "Turn around, Genma!"

He was tempted to look, but the death glares Kakashi was giving him from behind the kunoichi's shoulder made him think otherwise. It made him want to whimper at not getting any more free peeks at that wonderfully soft, pale skin blushing from head to toe. He should have seduced Sakura when he stood a chance of at least a one night stand. But no, she had to fall for old one-eye, who, when not going as limp as a wet noodle around the cherry blossom, turned into a rabid guard dog the moment he smelled one whiff of jealousy. All it took was one drunken comment from him about wishing he'd slept with Sakura, especially after her declaration of the Great Copy Ninja being better, and Kakashi gave him a look that would have chilled the depths of hell. He hadn't forgiven or forgotten the small transgression since, no matter how many apologies Genma spouted, probably because he wasn't entirely sincere.

So what if he meant his misfortunate comment? It wasn't like it was ever, ever going to happen anyway.

Whether Kakashi or Sakura realized it or not, they were practically declared married in the eyes of their mutual friends the moment they moved in together, which meant she was off limits to him. She was so far off limits that he could almost feel the kunai being shoved through his back or balls if he took one more peek. Genma didn't turn around, not because he really wanted to, but because he didn't feel like dying today. "Hurry it the hell up, will you?" he groused, slouching with his hands in his pockets, "Before his clones decide to go looking for you too?"

The pair of shinobi exchanged looks and scrambled for their clothes and gear. "I knew we forgot something. It's Tuesday, isn't it?" Sakura asked as she slipped the damp red bikini bottoms back on.

"Yes, Tuesday."

"Damnit, you should have reminded me. I told Naruto Tuesdays would be ramen night."

"When did you tell him this?"

"Sunday when I was picking up the groceries."

"You never told me," Kakashi grumbled, slipping back on his shorts.

Sakura blushed again, "Oops?"

"'Oops?' . . ."

"It's just ramen night. It's not a mission assignment."

". . ."

"Oh, don't give me that. You're one of the most forgetful people I know. After twelve years you still can't remember when your own training sessions are. You only even make it on time when I'm late too," she said with a smirk while fumbling in retying her top, "Gah, you didn't break these strings did you? I can't get it."

"That may be true, but you've been late more often now too," Kakashi said with his own smirk while pulling her into his arms. Sakura went crimson again as her found the ties between her fingers and slipped them into knots, all without breaking eye contact. "No more surprises, Sakura," he said, his hands lingering too long on her back, "Least of all ones you know I won't like discovering."

Her smirk stayed in place as she pulled away from him, going for her shorts, "I'll keep it in mind for your birthday, barring, of course, that I don't forget that date too."

"Very funny, Sakura. I didn't forget yours this year."

"Do you remember our one year anniversary then?"

Kakashi stopped cold, "We have an anniversary?"

Her mouth dropped open, gawking in shock.

"No, don't tell me you've forgotten . . ." she shook her head in disbelief, "How could you forget?!"

"I don't remember us formally picking a date for that."

"Well it should kind of be obvious to you when it happened!"

"Kami-sama, save me, you two sound like you're old and married already," Genma said sarcastically. He ducked just as a series of kunai and needles passed over his head. "Stop trying to kill me! I'm just the messenger!" he shouted, only to get more weapons thrown at his feet, caltrops and shuriken this time.

He hopped out of the way, glaring at the lovers, "I take it back. You're not old. You're bat-shit in-!"

Genma stopped mid-insult, blinking as his eyes fell on his friend without the mask, "Woah . . ."

Kakashi smacked a hand over his lower face, glaring darkly. He was pissed. "Oh shit . . ." the jounin cursed, slowly backing up.

"Run . . . Now . . ." the Copy nin growled at him, the implied threat alone making his skin color drop twenty shades.

He ran, taking to the trees like his life depended on it, and it probably did. The last thing he heard was Sakura howling in laughter, "Bye Genma!"

That was the last time he'd do anything for Naruto ever again. Or at least, that's what he told himself while flying over the tree branches. Damn, he'd learned and seen more of Kakashi than he ever wanted to see again. Not only had the bastard gotten the girl, but he was better looking too. Maybe it was a good thing though that his friend was now permanently attached to Sakura after all. If word got round that one-eye was not only a better lay but handsome under that mask, more than a few kunoichi would be lining up to find out, and ignoring him. Genma grumbled to himself, hopping off another limb, "I ain't telling anyone, that's for damned sure. I have a reputation to maintain."

* * *

As soon as Shiranui Genma had executed a speedy getaway, Sakura fell down, clutching her head between her legs in laughter. Just when she thought she had it under control, one look at Kakashi's beet red face let loose another torrent from her throat. She fell over, shaking in laughter. He groaned, his eyes rolling upwards, "This isn't funny, and it's making us even later."

"You're embarrassed! It's so cute!"

A pale eyebrow twitched in annoyance as he grabbed his mask, shucking it on, "It isn't cute, and I'm not embarrassed. I'm just wondering how easy it would be for Genma to have an 'accident'."

Sakura tried to contain her giggles but couldn't, "Which part are you more angry about? That he saw my naked rear or your naked face?"

Kakashi glanced at her, grunting in response, "You're cold."

"I am not, and you're changing the topic. I thought you two were friends," she said as she stood up again, brushing dirt off her legs to feel bumpy skin. She then noticed how goose-pimples raised every hair on her skin. Maybe she was cold after all.

"Sakura, you're shivering. Here," he said as he shoved his shirt into her hands, "We are friends. I'm not pissed. I'm just making sure he doesn't get any ideas."

"Ideas? Why would Genma get ideas?" her voice was muffled as she pulled the shirt over her head, "Ugh, he better not be trying to feel me up again. I hated that."

Her face popped out of the neckline just in time to see Kakashi tense, a flash of anger crossing his eyes. Sakura tilted her head to the side, looking at him curiously as she added, "Not that he's tried anything after I said you were probably better . . . Is there something you're not telling me?"

"It's nothing."

He may have said that, but she had developed a sixth sense when it came to trouble and her silver-haired lover. She moved to corner him by the tree they had been sleeping under, not letting him pass to grab their weapons. "Don't 'nothing' me. You got annoyed when I honestly forgot to tell you about ramen night tonight, and now you're purposefully hiding something from me," Sakura accused him, "So talk."

His eyes hardened on her, "Genma said something he shouldn't have said."

Her lips quirked into a smirk, "Was he drunk?"

"Not that drunk."

The smirk faltered, "Oh . . . what did he say?"

"That he wished he'd slept with you before . . ." Kakashi bristled in anger a moment, remembering that night. It was why he stopped going out drinking with Genma alone. All it would have taken was a few drinks and one more comment about his lovely cherry blossom break his impulse to tear the senbon-user apart. But the kicker was that he knew the whole thing wasn't serious, that Shiranui wouldn't touch her till his name was on the memorial, yet it didn't stop him from being jealous. He had no reason what so ever to worry, but he still did. Probably because the whole previous year still felt like a dream. If it was a dream, if Sakura wasn't really smiling at him at that moment, Kakashi didn't want to wake up.

She stood on her toes to press a kiss on his cloth-covered cheek. He turned his head to touch her lips, but she pulled away, mussing his grey hair instead into even further disarray. "Silly," she said with a playful grin, sticking out her tongue before prancing off to finish dressing, "I'm not going anywhere."

She was right. He was being silly, but . . .

Before Sakura could get very far, he grabbed her shoulder and drew her into his arms. "You're still mine," Kakashi said low in her ear, a hard, possessive edge on the words.

A faint smile blossomed on her face, her hands trapped on his bare chest, "It works in reverse too, you know. I have a good mind to kill Genma myself if he breaths one word about what he saw. I can't have half the women in Konoha offering to bear your children now can I?"

He grinned under the mask, squeezing her tightly. She giggled, her lips nibbling on his shoulder. Kakashi nuzzled her neck in returned, not letting her go just yet, "We're going to be even later at this rate."

"More ramen for Naruto then."

"Sakura . . ."

"Right, clothes . . . where's my sword?"

* * *

Late, late, late, anymore Naruto's best friend and his first sensei were always late, together. But this, this was beyond late. The sun had already set, leaving the sky tinged red and purple, and he was already on his third bowl of ramen, slurping. By the time they got there, he'd be as big as Chouji, maybe. The blond glanced over at the woman to his right, who was already as big as their friend at least in the abdomen, and beamed as she delicately ate a long string of noodles. She stopped once she noticed his look, opal-esque eyes blinking inquisitively, "Something wrong, Naruto-kun?"

"Nothing, just watching . . . isn't everyday I'm home long enough anymore to eat out with you, Hinata-chan," he said with a wide grin before turning back to his food, "Even rarer when Kakashi-sensei and Sakura-chan eat with us. Gah! How can she be late?!"

"Naruto-kun . . ." she said softly, the corners of her lips turning downward, "They'll be here. They're probably just caught up with one another. You remember what it was like, don't you? The first year we were married?"

Despite himself, he blushed, blue eyes shifting hesitantly towards her with a noodle sticking out of his mouth. Like he could forget after all. Parts of that year still played over in his head from time to time. They were some of the happiest moments in his life, being with his Hinata-chan. It was still hard for him to believe that she had asked him out first. After the dissolution of his failed relationship with Sakura, he didn't think he'd ever find another girl to dream about, at least not for a while. And then she opened her mouth to ask him for a date, without stammering. For Naruto, it was a revelation that the Hyuga princess was not only beautiful, determined, and kind but could indeed talk without going as red as brick or stopping every other second.

When she didn't faint when he said yes, he knew she'd grown up in more ways than one, and he liked her.

When they had their first argument, and she'd not only stood up to his tantrums, but glared back at him before yelling in his face, he knew she had grown a backbone as well, and he loved her for it.

And then when he finally kissed her, she was not too shy to keep from responding back with equal fervor, and he knew he couldn't live without her.

And now she was having his second child, which made her the most important person in his life.

She had a point. If Sakura and Kakashi were anything like they had been, there was no telling where Genma would find them, and in what sort of state. Maybe he should have sent his clones instead . . .

At least their lateness gave him more time to spend alone with Hinata. She was eating again, finishing some of her second bowl and taking her time about it. Everything she did was with a grace and gentleness he loved and envied, from jutsus to cleaning. Even in her simple lavender dress and as big as house, she looked beautiful. His wife stopped eating again, blushing under the scrutiny of his eyes, "W-what is it now?"

She still had moments when her younger self showed through, stammering and all. "You're beautiful," Naruto said wistfully, making her turn deeper shades of red.

"N-n-n-n-Naruto-kun, not now, please?" She stuttered, bashfully turning away.

"You're even more beautiful when I make you blush."

The color in her cheeks bordered on purple, "Naruto-kun . . ."

"Hey loudmouth! Stop making your wife turn into a tomato!" a feminine voice shouted from behind them. The Kyuubi container shot up from his stool, turning to see his friend and ex-sensei approach the ramen stand hand in hand. He threw himself through the red and white curtains towards the pink-haired kunoichi, tackling her to the ground in a hug, "Sakura-chan! You made it!"

She kicked under him, half-mad with chuckles, and half playfully angry, "Of course I made it, idiot! Get off me! I'm starving!"

Standing over the pair of old teammates, Kakashi shook his head and lowered the hand he had put up to wave at the young man. Not only was his greeting cut short by his former student, but he was ignored. Some things never changed, which he was glad for. Naruto finally noticed their tall former sensei looming overhead, and sat up to point a finger accusingly, "You're late!"

There were still some things the Copy nin wished would change.

"There's this very interesting story this time. You see we were busy training when this enemy ninja came upon us. Naturally, we had to teach him a few lessons on stealth."

Sakura snorted in laughter as the story was partially true, but the blond shinobi on top of her didn't seemed convinced at all, "Tell me one I haven't heard before, Kakashi-sensei."

His eye drooped more so than normal, and she could tell he was frowning, "This is why you're not my favorite student."

Naruto frowned as well, peering at his former teacher, "What Sakura-chan ever sees in your sparkling personality, I'll never know. You're a horrible sensei, a prodigy at wasting time, and an old pervert. Ow!"

With one foot to the stomach, he went flying off the kunoichi and back into the stools, startling Hinata who dropped her chopsticks. Sakura was on her feet, fists ready to beat him into a pulp when Kakashi's hand clamped on her shoulder. Apparently, the Kyuubi container's mate had her temper worked up enough with his behavior to do the job for her. "Naruto-kun!" the dark haired woman yelled at him, watching his dazed blond head wobbled back and forth, "You shouldn't antagonize your friends!"

"But . . . Hinata-chan . . ." he whimpered, trying to pry himself away from the wooden paneling, "I wasn't serious . . ."

". . . It's alright. They're here now though, and your ramen is getting cold," she said with a half-hearted smile, brushing a hand through his golden hair. Naruto nuzzled her hand like a giant cat, grinning again as his eyes creased happily. "Yes, Hinata-chan, I'm sorry, but you know how I am . . ." he whined, popping back up onto a stool while still being petted.

She giggled, smiling brightly, "I do, which is why you'll wear yourself out between ANBU and training Ichigo."

"Ahhhh! But Hinata-chan! You've seen how strong he's getting! He'll be the number one best ninja in the village . . . aside from me of course!"

Sakura's anger had dissipated into enough giggles that she took a seat on her friend's left while Kakashi took the spot next to her. Hearing his former student talk about his son made the Copy nin think of Gai and the training the green-clad menace must have put his team through to come out with a near clone like Lee. It looked like Naruto's children would end up the same way. "Kami-sama help Konoha when your kids become genin, and their sensei too because it won't be me. Teaching one Uzumaki was trying enough," he muttered before placing his order.

The pink-haired kunoichi laughed softly, "Just you wait, you'll get old enough to retire from ANBU eventually, and then Tsunade-sensei will saddle you with another team of genin to teach and corrupt."

"Please don't say that? Makes me feel ancient."

Naruto slurped the remains of the ramen broth, stopping to mutter, "That's because you are ancient."

A hand slapped the back of his head as he got a face full of soup, "Knock it off, knucklehead. I want to eat in peace with all four of us together for once."

"Last time was almost peaceful, Sakura-san," Hinata said with a smile, leaning around her husband to look at the other woman, "When Naruto-kun wasn't going on and on about the new baby."

She placed her own order before turning back, "How is it? Everything check out with your last visit?"

"Yes, she's kicking, just like Ichigo did."

"She?" Kakashi asked, breaking into the conversation while their ramen bowls arrived on the counter, "How can you tell it's a girl?"

"Hummmm, I just know, Hatake-san. It'll be a girl, but, I don't know what we'll name her."

"Momo," Naruto declared, nodding his head in emphasis, "Her name will be Momo."

"Peach?" Sakura said with a mocking snicker, "Your son's name means strawberry, and you want to name your unborn daughter peach. If you have a second son, you better not name him something stupid like Ringo, apple of all things, or Ramen."

Kakashi choked on the first bite of noodles, covering his face with his hands to stop the chuckles and as well as hide the fact that his mask was down. "I wouldn't put it past him to do that either," he whispered into the kunoichi's ear, making her burst out in laughter too.

Naruto scowled at the pair, who were too busy falling over each other in mirth to notice the narrowing of his eyes, "What did you just say to her? It was something dirty, wasn't it?"

His question only made her laughter louder, leaning over her bowl. The silver-haired man shook his head, "For once, you're wrong there. I still don't understand how after one year you still think that little of my affection for your Sakura-chan that I'm always corrupting her."

"It's because I'm your Sakura-chan now, Kakashi, and because you are corrupting me."

"That's beside the point," he said as he slipped an arm around her shoulder, "The point is that by now you should know that nothing is going to change either fact."

"I know, I'm getting used to it. But walking in on you both making out in hospital gowns with Baa-chan didn't exactly help me take either of you seriously."

"Naruto-kun, you did help Hatake-san move in with her after all. Doesn't that speak to you at all about his seriousness?" Hinata asked, pushing her finished bowl aside.

"I know! It's just . . ."

"Weird still?" Kakashi offered an explanation, "You're not the only one who thought that."

"You're just the only one still thinking like that," Sakura added with a smirk, twirling her chopstick in her ramen, "I said it once the first time you went spastic about it, and I'll say it again . . . get over it."

"But Sakura-chan, he was your sensei! He was our sensei!"

"I wasn't that much of a sensei."

She glared back and forth between them then sighed hopelessly, "Naruto, you're sounding twelve again, I thought Hinata helped you mature enough to learn to accept things for what they are? Kakashi, one more word about how bad of a teacher you were, and I swear I'll prove you wrong!"

His dark eye widened at the declaration then blinked, "Are you challenging me?"

Shit, she didn't mean it like that, but . . . "So what if I am? The fact remains that you gave us the foundations we needed as shinobi, which doesn't make you as lousy as you think you are. If I have fight you until you accept it, then maybe I will."

"Sakura-chan, that probably isn't a good idea . . ."

"I know it isn't, but of his three students, I was the worst. So if I do beat him . . ." she said with a smile, turning slowly to look back into his wide eye. Kakashi was still in mild shock by the conversation. She wanted to fight him to prove a point? Didn't she grow out of that stage already? It was sheer lunacy on her part, wasn't it? Admittedly, it had been a while since they fought full out, but there was no way she had become that much stronger than him. He didn't want to find out either. "It's alright, Sakura, you don't have to do that just to make me eat my words. I'm sure if you just stroke my ego long enough I'll start to believe it," he said, smiling under the mask.

She blushed at the implications, going back to her ramen and effectively ending the conversation. At least the topic was over till Naruto finally understood, and jumped up on his stool to jab another accusing finger at Kakashi, "Pervert! I knew it! I bet it's more than just your ego she's stoking!"

"Naruto!" "Naruto-kun!" Twin feminine voices yelled at him along with petite fists, pummeling him back down into his seat. Adequately subdued, he grumbled, ducking in the wake of the wrath of both women, "Ok! Ok! I'm sorry! But come on! He still reads Icha Icha in public! Aren't you the least bit embarrassed by him, Sakura-chan?!"

She rolled her green eyes upwards, fiddling with her chopsticks again, "The only embarrassment around here is you, loudmouth. Besides, I'd be even money Hinata-san didn't get knocked up alone, so you're one to talk, Ero-sennin Jr."

At the mention of her name and a certain pet name, the dark-haired woman squeaked, turning bright red. Naruto stared at his wife, his mouth hanging open, "How much does she know?"

The Hyuga woman's pale eyes drifted slowly down to her fingers, twisting and turning them in nervousness, "I, um, well, uh, uhhhh."

"Hinata-chan, what did you tell her?!" he nearly wailed, tears forming in his blue eyes.

"Ah, it was just that . . . uhh, well, you see . . . it was before the baby, and I, um, had a little too much to drink at Ino-san's birthday party, and . . . well . . ."

"Relax, stud, it was nothing but flattering, even if it was more than I ever needed to know," Sakura said with a firm nod, ignoring how Kakashi was choking again on his ramen. Naruto paled then went as bright red as his wife while their friends barely contained their laughter. Maybe it was a silly argument after all, needling the pink-haired woman about the man she adored, no matter how much the idea of them together made him shudder. He'd long ago lost any rights to dictate who Sakura-chan could and couldn't date. Once the argument was over, he was ignored by the pair, conspiring whispers and laughter passing between them, not matter how much he stared at them. Naruto barely noticed Hinata leaning over his shoulder until he felt her chin settle on his collar bone, whispering in his ear, "What are you looking for, Naruto-kun? Another opening?"

"A flaw. Think your Byakugan could pick one out?"

"I don't need that to tell me that there are deep cracks still, but they are mending over well," she said softly, and he could feel her gentle smile press on his neck, "Why do you look?"

"Because someone has to. They are my first family after all, and one of them has already passed on long ago. I don't . . ." Naruto's voice trailed off, turning away to stare back into the empty ramen bowl. His wife's soothing lips lingered over the whiskered cheek where she placed a gentle kiss, and he let out the breath he'd been holding. She always did that whenever he thought about Sasuke and the past, which was almost daily sometimes. It distracted and calmed him, for which he was grateful. No matter how bright his personality or his future was, there was still a tinge of darkness he couldn't push away completely.

After all, what kind of man would kill his best friend?

Looking back up again, his blue eyes refocused on her opal pair, and he smiled again, kissing her cheek as well, "Thank you, Hinata-chan."

She nodded, smiling back, "They're happy, Naruto, and so are we. I . . . want it to stay this way, always."

"Me too, Hinata . . . me too . . ."

* * *

Night had fallen by the time the two couples had parted ways outside of Ichiraku. The only other argument that had sprung up was over the bill, most of which was Uzumaki's and which he grudgingly paid. Despite being stuffed to the gills with more ramen than she could stand, Sakura still walked along in front of Kakashi, almost skipping. No, she wasn't skipping; she was dancing, twirling and hopping to her own internal music. He couldn't help but smile watching her, the oversized shirt of his she wore lifting up now and then. His hands were shoved into the pockets of his trunks, and his shoulder slouch more pronounced than normal. "You look twelve again," he said, smirking under the mask.

"And you look almost twenty without your shirt on. Why couldn't you be this gorgeous when I was nineteen?" Sakura said as she stretched her arms over her head, walking backwards on the deserted street, "Would have saved me some heartache."

"And then where would you be? Everything happens the way it does for a reason, or at least that seems to be true. Would you really want things to be different?"

Sakura giggled suddenly and swung her arms behind her back, hopping from one foot to another, "Nope! I can't imagine being any happier than I am right now! I wouldn't change a thing for all the world!"

She had turned in her delirious happiness, about the race ahead of him back towards their apartment, when she suddenly stopped. What she had said was a lie. There was at least one thing she would have changed. Her steps ground to a near halt, shuffling her sandals on the dirty road. Sakura barely even registered the presence of anyone around her, including Kakashi as he crept up behind her. It wasn't until his hand reached out to brush the back of her neck that she snapped out of it with a start. She pulled away and flashed him a forced smile, "I'm fine, just . . . remembering."

"You still think about him, don't you?"

"Daily, but I'm sure you do too. It's why we both still go to the memorial, isn't it?"

The Copy nin didn't say anything, but nodded, and Sakura fell into place beside him, so close yet so far away, the green sparkle of her eyes diminished. Sasuke, ever a ghost of their past, was still his biggest failure, and her biggest source of pain. No matter how the years had passed, the memories were still as fresh as ever. There were times he wondered about how different things would be if the Uchiha had been rescued from himself, if he would have let his heart been consumed by something outside of hatred and power. What would have happened if the love of the cherry blossom beside him had gotten through to Sasuke? For a moment, Kakashi's heart sank knowing that if things had been different, she wouldn't be his to hold.

But then again, things happened the way they did for a reason, didn't they?

The tight clench on his heart didn't let up as the silent walk went on. And yet, the pain stopped the moment Sakura's head rested on his shoulder, huddling close. Her hands pulled his loose from his pocket, fingers clasped together. Feeling her warm breath on his bare skin in the cooler night air made him shiver, wanting to hold her warmth closer. "Kakashi?" she asked softly, barely above a whisper.

He grunted an indication that he was listening, the ground too interesting to lift his eyes from. Sakura continued anyway, sighing, "I know you still have a lot of regrets, things you would have done differently if you had a second chance. Even if things had been different, there's no one else I could have love more . . . not even Sasuke. I don't regret things happening the way they did, because if they had, I might not have found you."

Kakashi let out the breath he'd been holding, smiling under the mask, "Live a life of no regrets . . . did I say that once?"

Her hand slugged his arm lightly, about as serious as her laughter, "No, you didn't. It was Inari's father that said it, remember? From Wave country?"

"Ah, first real mission for you guys, how could I forget?"

"You were trying to steal his saying."

"It is one worth stealing after all."

Sakura slugged his arm once again with a snort of giggles then broke free from his hold. She raced ahead and turned around to walk backwards again. Her eyes locked with his, and she smiled though it lacked her usual cheerfulness, "A life of no regrets, huh? It does sound like something you would say, but . . . regrets seem to come with everyone's life as a ninja."

"It comes with every decision, doesn't it? Big or small, choices are made, and most of those choices are hard to impossible to undo."

"Neither of us follow the saying though."

"It's why it's a saying and not a rule."

Her smile brightened again and she spun away quickly, dancing down the street without him again. Kakashi smiled as well, even if she never saw it, reveling in her reckless abandon while she was still immature enough to not care how childish she looked. He sincerely hoped she didn't grow up anymore, the carefree spirit too endearing to lose to time. While he may not have danced in his life, he hoped she never stopped dancing least of all for him.

Breathless, Sakura bounded back to his side, colliding with him yet the impact didn't break his stride. Her arm flung over his shoulders, and he wobbled a moment before prying her off enough that she only hugged his bicep. They were close to home now, the apartment building just around the corner. When they approached the door, he felt her hesitate, pulling on his upper arm. Stopping, a quizzical eyebrow shot up, "Something wrong?"

She was looking down, never a good sign. "I think . . ." Sakura trailed off then looked up into his eye, her expression all seriousness, "Is it alright if I go to the memorial? I just want to think a little, on the past, and it's been a while, so . . ."

His dark eye softened before he nodded. He should have guessed that would be her request, knowing that her grieving only came at night. "Don't stay there too late. I don't want to wake Pakkun to find you again," Kakashi said, trying to make light of an obviously difficult situation.

He reached up to ruffle her pink hair, but stopped to cup the side of her face. Instead, he leaned in to touch his cloth covered lips to her forehead, remaining there for a good long while. When Sakura finally pulled away, she smiled up at him then turned and walked down the street, stopping only to yell back at him, "Don't wait up for me! And you better have that air conditioner fixed!"

The ninja was about to shout back when her fingers moved in quick seals and her form burst in a cloud of pink petals. He sighed, leaning back against the doorway, kicking the steps with his heel. This was one habit he was sure neither of them were going to break any time soon. "Say hello to them for me too, Sakura," Kakashi said to the air, staring up at the starry sky before turning and walking into the building.

* * *

A paint brush was laid down on the small table by the easel, red paint soaking through the bristles. Sasaki wiped the beads of sweat rolling down her forehead away, and backed away from her work. Slowly, a smile spread across her face, knowing that unbeknownst to them, the subjects of the portrait would probably love the rendition. She knew she did. But, that also hinged on if they ever saw it. Like most of her art, this one was going into her private collection for only her to look at. She didn't have any friends to show it to, and if she did, their opinions would probably have effected what joy she did get out of her work. Who ever heard of a shinobi who did painting as a hobby after all? She doubted many of them even appreciated art that wasn't practical.

With a sigh, Sasaki reached up to grab the edges of the wet canvas, moving it off the easel to lean against the wall and the floor. Crouching down, she got a closer look. Maybe Sakura's nose was too pinched. The light in Kakashi's dark eye looked wane to her as well, or was it there still? She always did have her doubts, which is why she kept her art to herself. Hayate always did like her paintings, and encouraged her, but she never painted him. It was perhaps the one regret she had that ate at her still. He'd given her so much to remember him by, but when he was killed, it was too late to do that one thing she didn't know she wanted till it was gone.

After the funeral, she'd taken her grief out not only on trying to find his murderer, Baki, but also out on paper, trying fruitlessly to remember what he even looked like. It was useless though. She went through two sketchbooks trying to draw Hayate from memory or from old photos, but they were never perfect, they were never him. Sasaki hung her head and dropped down to sit on the floor before the painting, hugging her knees. "You'd like this one," she said to no one, almost imagining the spirit lingering over her shoulder, "We were like that once . . . I wish I could feel that way again, even with someone who isn't you . . . What do you think, Hayate, of Takeo? Is he like you at all?"

She snorted in derisive laughter, answering herself, "No, of course not. He's too . . . not you."

Leaning her cheek on her hand, she hummed thoughtfully, feet shuffling on the wooden floor. Or was he? She didn't even know who was the real him. He was so shy when she ran into him today, but every other time he was in uniform and on the job, he wasn't. The personality shift was like night and day, which only fed her curiosity. Despite how pondering Takeo wracked her head, it did help her come to one decision though, "I have to paint him."

* * *

Apparently when she said not to wait up for her, Kakashi took it to heart. She nearly stumbled over the low table in the middle of the living room as she moved through the dark apartment to their bedroom. Two things struck her once she made her way beyond the door. The first was the blast of cold air coming from the air conditioner, the old melted cord lying on the floor next to a dented steel toolbox. The second was the figure on the bed, clad in only the jeans she loved, and sprawled on his stomach with one arm hanging off the side. She stripped out of her clothes and weapons, throwing them aside to where she could find them in the morning, and slipped naked onto the bed. As soon as she was lying down beside him, an arm reached across her back, pulling her against him with a murmur. Her mouth quirked into an ecstatic grin as she knew exactly what his mumbled words were.

It was what she needed to hear after sitting in silence before the stone for a few hours. She had gone out of homage and habit, but it still didn't keep her thoughts from revolving around the dead. Part of her doubted if she would ever be able to let all the memories go completely. That was the way she was. That was the way they both were. Their nature wasn't going to change just because she willed it so. But, hearing Kakashi murmur he loved her could make the dull pain feel all better, for a little while at least. Sakura nuzzled his cheek, ignoring the rough stubble to drowsily hum, "Love you too, Ka-ka-shi."

* * *

To Be Continued in Lesson 06 of The Way of the Sword, The Konoha Kunoichi Ladies Auxiliary. 


	7. The Konoha Kunoichi Ladies Auxiliary

The Way of the Sword

A Naruto fanfiction, By Serenanna

Lesson 06 – The Konoha Kunoichi Ladies Auxiliary

Warnings and Disclaimers: I don't own Naruto or any of the characters. I'm just borrowing them to play with. I'll return them later, promise. There is adult content, and sexual situations in this story involving sharp, pointy objects. So, if you're under 18, leave now before your virgin eyes are scarred forever, if you're over 18, enjoy!

Story Notes: This is a Kakashi/Sakura fic, while other pairings may come and go. This story is a continuation of Ronsmyhero's Respect and Understanding. Reading that fic is a good idea in order to understand this one as there will be references from it. It is being written with her knowledge and stamp of approval. In case she ever makes her own sequel, this is an AU take. I know a fanfic of a fanfic probably isn't a good idea, but I'm giving it a whirl. Ronsmyhero, this is in honor of you. To that end, I am making an OC to be Yajima's replacement, and the way this story is shaping, he will be paired with Sasaki, eventually. Outside of the basics of the Naruto world, I'm a complete newbie. If this fic breaks a lot of canon as far as combat goes, I'm sorry. The style of sword combat I'm going with will try to be semi-realistic. If that's against canon, again, I'm sorry. If the story to this point seems episodic, it is supposed to be that way. There is an underlying theme and plot outside of the swords, which will be revealed in time. Lemons of various shapes and sizes will abound along with mild drama, angst, buckets of humor, raunchiness, fluff, and action. This is your fair warning.

* * *

The heat wave over Konohagakure finally broke, not with one welcoming cool breeze, but with a thunderstorm. It was the first storm all summer, strong enough to rattle old window panes and nearly shake the sky itself. And somehow, Kakashi managed to sleep through it, well, almost sleep through it. His wake up call, after falling dead asleep the night before while still half-dressed, was infinitely more pleasant than the patter of heavy rain drops and crashing thunder. He wasn't sure what reached his consciousness first, the lack of warmth pressed against his chest or the tightness in his crotch, surrounded by something not of himself. The latter is what woke him up though, especially with the accompanying heat and wetness that left him groaning. Whatever it was, it felt good, very good as his hips bucked upwards only to be pushed back down again.

It was Sakura.

It had to be her given the crisp edge to the nails of the hand that held him. He knew her moans as well, each throaty utterance muffled by flesh. Kakashi almost didn't want to crack his eyes open to see exactly what she was doing to him, the image in his head probably more erotic than the real thing. And yet, at the swirl of her tongue along his hardened length, they shot open anyway. With a loud groan as he propped himself on his elbows and looked down. The real thing, he decided, was vastly sexier. She was too intent on using her mouth to please him to notice a hand grabbing her hair, fingers curling over the strawberry pink locks. Pulling away at the slight tug, she looked up at him, grinning devilishly, "Good morning."

His grin shot up. It was a good morning indeed, no matter how much it rained outside.

Her hands wrapped over him, tugging on skin with a jerk that made his sleepy but coherent words of greeting come out like mumbles. Sakura's grin only widened as she bent over him, kissing the hardened planes of his hips and abdomen before taking him into her mouth again. Kakashi flopped back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling to keep his eyes focused on something rather than rolling into the back of his head. He must have done something right the previous day to deserve this treatment. The only experience he could compare it to what the morning after he moved in when she roused him in a similar manner. Maybe instead it was the worn jeans he'd put on while fixing the air conditioner and then mistakenly slept in, which now cling stubbornly to his thighs after being pulled down. Sakura had her own fetishes too, and this particular pair of pants was one of them.

At the nip of her teeth, his hips jolted up along with a mild curse, breaking off his thoughts. Kakashi didn't need to look up to know there was a sly grin on her face. When Sakura was in control, she liked skirting the edges of danger, finding buttons to push that he didn't even know he had. The use of her teeth was one of them, making him hiss while fisting her short hair till she pulled away again. Looking up, her tongue rolled along the vein underneath in a long, sensuous lick, and his hand unclenched, letting her have her way with him for a little longer. She moaned, and the sound of her voice nearly undid all the tightly-wound control he had, making him twitch at each suck. Restrained, her teeth nipped delicately, his hips jerking upwards suddenly. The pulse pounding in his ears struck as loud as the thunder outside the window. "Little minx," Kakashi spat under his breath, pulling her off of him, "That's enough."

Sakura pouted, taking her revenge out by raking her nails over his torso till he grabbed her wrist, sitting up in the bed, "No claws, not unless you intend to purr for me. Come here."

She grinned and almost did purr as he yanked her upwards. Half crawling and half dragged, the pink-haired kunoichi straddled his hips, his hardened sex pressed intimately between them. Pinned against his chest, her body ground into his, burning with need that consumed her sanity one piece at a time. Kakashi's hand moved between her legs, rubbing the sensitive lips of slick, heated skin. "Wet already? What have you been doing?" he whispered in her ear, the sound of his voice as scandalous as his hand's work.

Sakura bit her lower lips to keep from moaning too loudly, her cheeks blazing red, "Only what you would have done to me."

His hand pulled away, grabbing her waist instead. Shifting her hips over his lap, the tip of his length pressed into her, eager to reclaim that which was his, but not yet. He twisted her pinned wrist around her back, and grabbed the other, holding her captive. She whimpered, just out of reach of what she wanted, him. He held her that way, hard against her but immoveable, touching his lips lightly over hers, "Kiss me."

The command made her body shudder before complying, devouring his mouth before he had a second thought. With a jerk, he pushed into her, letting the grip on her wrists up enough that she sunk down the rest of the way on her own with a muffled moan. Kakashi shuddered too, letting go of her hands to grasp her shoulders instead. He pulled her down sharply and Sakura broke the kiss with a sharp, quick cry of pleasure, feeling him deeply inside of her center. Her hips rolled into his on instinct, counteracting each thrust.

Nestled against the ninja's chest and in complete rapture at the sensations pulsing through her, she was fairly certain her life couldn't get better than this. Ok, so it wasn't exactly what she had planned as the way to start her day, but feeling the Copy nin inside of her, hearing his groans loud in her ears, more than made up for it. Really, she only got into his pants because she felt she owed him after the wonderful day before. Now it seemed she owed him even more, including paying him back their part of last night's ramen bill. Maybe next week she's pay him before dinner with Naruto. That was on Tuesday nights, right? Wait, if yesterday was Tuesday, today was Wednesday. Right?

Inner Sakura propped open a weekly planner and point to the message in the middle. Wednesday, lunch with Pig and company.

Sakura shrieked from more than just pleasure, "I have to go!"

Kakashi blinked, grinding to a halt against his will, "What?"

"It's Wednesday! I'm going to be late!" the kunoichi yelled as she tried to break her lover's grip on her shoulders, "Ino will kill me!"

Every part of the ninja's body screamed at him that stopping right then was very, very bad. Sakura never got up from his lap and intimate embrace like she intended. Instead, she found herself looking up into his mismatched eyes as he flipped them over, still moving within her. Her mind refocused on the fact that they were still heavily preoccupied, enough to leave her cheeks blushing, "K-Kakashi, I have to go!"

"Oh no you don't, you're going to be all mine for the next 60 seconds," he growled, moving faster and harder. She gasped, ignoring the heat burning within her to register what he just said. One minute? All he needed was one minute? "A minute?! Is that all I mean to you?!" Sakura yelled, struggling to get up to her elbows till he pushed her back down.

His growling became louder and more frustrated, "Yes, one minute, of your, undivided attention, and you'll be screaming my name."

She nearly yelled at him again but stopped at the determined look in his eyes and another strong thrust that shattered her distracted mind completely. Arching her back, the thought flickered through her head that if anyone could make that boast a reality it would be Kakashi. Sakura glanced at the clock across the room then back at his face, her green eyes nearly glazed over, "One minute."

He stopped long enough to seize her ankles from around his waist, and drew them up to her head till she was bent nearly in half. Sakura yelped, at least until he moved inside of her again, which ripped a shriek from her throat. The sound was all the incentive the silver-haired man needed, pounding into her hard and at a breathless pace. He wasn't kidding around about making her scream his name, each thrust hitting her deeply and completely. She wanted to scream, each sound from her throat coming out more strangled than the last, stuck between the pleasure and the need to breathe.

Kakashi didn't sound or look much better, his face contorted in concentration to hold back from coming right then and there. When was the last time he'd attempted this, a hard, fast quickie? When he was roughly the age of the beautiful woman beneath him, maybe, but that year and the ones prior to it were kind of foggy. Like everything he did in life, except combat, he did it at his own pace including sex, except when it came to sex and Sakura. He shouldn't have even been attempting this sort of thing again. It was reckless, passionate, hard, exhausting, messy, a tinge painful, and ultimately mind-blowing as the seconds ticked by.

Sweat dripped off of them both, soaking the sheets. Sakura's voice had long since died down to a whimper with each passing thrust. She still said his name too, reverently even in her lack of breath, but she's long since stopped trying to keep up with him. Had it been a minute already? She didn't know as it felt like time had stopped except for the both of them. Kakashi glanced over at the clock for the both of them, muttering between grunts, "Ten seconds."

Release for the kunoichi came in an instant. The euphoria crashed into her in torrents that broke through every sense of sanity that remained in her head, one right after another without stopping or letting up. Each climax of hers, no matter how big or small, only seemed to push Kakashi's determination, even if the rest of him hung on the breaking point. The only thing he could think of was the clock, counting the seconds in the small part of rational thought he had left. She said one minute, and so help him, he was going to make use of that full minute. He just needed to wait a little longer, even if it felt like it would kill him. And yet, what he didn't count on was indeed hearing her scream his name as she finally collapsed in climax.

He crashed into her one last time, and everything seemed to snap, including the storm outside their window. The sound of thunder drowned out the Kakashi's roar as he came, the world seeming to dissolve away except for that moment and the both of them.

The clock changed the time with a small tick, on to the next minute.

He fell on top of her, exhausted and wheezing for breath, and yet surprisingly proud. Maybe his lover's appraisal of his prowess wasn't that far off, mentally patting himself on the back for once again proving he wasn't that old to himself at least. Sakura didn't move, still dazed as she looked up, watching the lightning bolts from the storm outside cast a shifting glow across the ceiling. His breathing slowed down to something resembling normalcy yet he didn't move. For a moment, she thought he'd passed out till the muscles in his shoulders twitched when she touched him, startling her with a chuckle that turned into dark laughter. He sounded proud, very proud, maybe too proud, almost cackling to himself in his head.

Sakura exhaled, still staring up, "Are you finished?"

The laughter of the silver-haired man abruptly stopped.

Was he finished? That was all she could say? One of the best performances he'd ever given a woman, let alone her, and . . . nothing. Not even an 'Oh Kami-sama' from her reddened lips, or even a 'thank you'. His ego shattered completely. Kakashi bit down on the inside of his mouth to keep from whimpering, putting his head down on the sheets beside hers. Damnit. Boneless-ly, he rolled off of her prone form with a groan, staring up as well, "Yes, I'm done."

The pink-haired woman popped up in the bed, quickly swinging her legs over the side like nothing had happened. She rose up to run towards the bathroom only to collapse to the floor with a yelp before groaning in pain, "What the hell did you do to me?"

His lips pressed together in a grim line to keep from laughing.

Eventually, she got back up to her feet, delicately walking with a wince in each step. "You are never doing this to me again, bastard," Sakura muttered bitterly before moaning in part pain and part pleasure then disappearing in to the bathroom, "At least not when I'm in a hurry."

Despite himself, he snorted in laughter as soon as she was gone. It was at least some conciliation that she wasn't completely unaffected from the experience. And yet, he felt frustrated, brushed aside for some lunch date with her friends. It looked like a repeat of the day before was out of the question, and more training was back in, rain or no. And with Sakura occupied till well into the afternoon, he'd have to entertain himself. Kakashi pulled off the jeans that were still half-way on him, and threw them away with a huff. He rolled onto his stomach, hiding his face in a pillow, "I hate Wednesdays."

* * *

The storm had fizzled down to a steady downpour by the time Sakura had finally made it out of their apartment. Kakashi hadn't said a word to her since she had stumbled her way out of the shower and into her clothes. The lascivious grin he gave her when she was caught trying to heal the new aches in her hips and legs was rather telling. It would be just like him to relish her discomfort as proof of a job well done. Ok, so it was truly a job well done on his behalf, even if she wasn't singing his praises at the moment. She'd honestly lost count in the frenzy, and still felt all hot just thinking of that one erotic minute in her life. Her cheeks turned nearly as red as the umbrella she carried, knowing that all three of the women she was about to meet for lunch would just know what she had been up to.

Doubts started to nag at her. She should have turned around and went back home to Kakashi and their bed, saving herself the embarrassment, but it was too late now. The dango shop was already in view, and Pig had already spotted her, waving madly from behind the glass panes. Sighing, she slid through the curtained doorway of the restaurant, closed her umbrella, and shook the rain from it. "Over here, Forehead!" Ino yelled across to her, and the entire shop seemed to stop and stare at her, "You're late!"

Could she be any more mortified? Probably not.

Sheepishly, she shuffled over to the booth in the back, looking and feeling at that moment rather like Hinata-chan, who was also as red-faced as she was. Tenten, on the other hand, was laughing at her, leaning on Ino's shoulder to keep from falling over. Groaning, she slid into the booth, shoving her umbrella under the table, "Could you be any louder, Ino-Pig? I don't think they heard you the next block over."

"Where were you?! We've been here for the past half-hour! You're getting as bad that man you're sleeping with!"

Sakura's face bordered on purple at the mention of Kakashi and sex in the same breath, "Well, you see . . . there's a very interesting story on why I'm late. You see, I was . . ."

The kunoichi clamped a hand over her mouth as she realized she was sounded like her lover too. Across the table, the blonde woman and the brunette beside her burst out in laughter. Hinata looked at her sympathetically, just smiling, "It's alright, Sakura-san. I'm sure we can all understand . . . your situation."

The red blush didn't leave her face despite now much she willed it away, "I hope you didn't call this little gathering to quiz me on Kakashi again. I've said my piece the last fifty odd times we've all been together, and it isn't changing."

Ino grinned, a slightly vicious glint in her eyes, "Oh come off it, Forehead, your man isn't the only one we deem worthy of discussion. And given you're the only one of us still on active duty and with an active love life, living vicariously through your news is the most entertainment I get all week."

"Like meal planning for Chouji isn't entertaining enough for you?" Tenten asked with a slight smirk.

"Like washing and mending green leotard after green leotard isn't enough fun for you either?" Pig retorted, making the weapons master crinkle her nose in distaste. Sakura laughed softly, partially relieved now that she was off the hook. This was usually how her weekly or bi-weekly lunch roundtables went with the three women around her. It had started as just herself and Ino gossiping as usual before Tenten had found them one day and joined in. The next week, the brunette had showed up with Hinata in tow, and that was just about that. Instead of just village gossip, topics now ranged to just about everything, missions, men, sex, love, food, marriage, cleaning, and, most recently, babies or about to be born babies to be exact.

It was odd when about a month ago Tenten had announced that she was expecting Lee's child. They all knew it was coming, eventually, but none of them thought it would happen so soon after Ino and Hinata announced their bundles of joy. Suddenly, Sakura was the odd kunoichi out, in a loving, long-term relationship yet not married, not knocked up, and still performing her duty as an ANBU shinobi. She wasn't envious of them or anything, just . . . out of place. They had all grown close after the siege and once they started meeting weekly, closer than when they were in the Academy together, or growing up inside of the different teams. Now, part of that closeness seemed chipped away, leaving her behind once again.

Sakura had drifted off into her own thoughts enough that she'd entirely missed the topic of conversation till Ino's deafening laughter rung in her ears. She smiled quickly, hoping none of them noticed, but she wasn't that lucky as she caught Hinata's frown. The woman's pearly-eyed gaze could see right through people sometimes, active Byakugan or not, "Sakura-san, are you alright? You seem out of sorts today."

She shifted uncomfortably on the wooden bench, "I am, kind of. But it's nothing to worry about."

Pig picked up the opening and ran with it before she could even think of another topic, "Problems at home?"

"What? No, whatever gave you that idea?"

"Because you're overdue for problems," Tenten interjected, "I swear the only thing I do anymore with Lee is argue, especially on how he dotes on me. Every time he leaves for a mission, he acts like I can't do a thing without him."

Sakura barely held back the snort of giggles, "That sounds like Bushy Brows alright."

"I love those bushy brows though. It makes him all warm and fuzzy."

The whole table cracked up at the admission, and any more interrogation of Sakura was halted before it could even start. That was probably a good thing as a smile spread across her face, watching Ino needle someone else for a change. Maybe once she had some food in her, she could stand a few embarrassing questions, "I hope you didn't order yet, I'm starving."

* * *

Rainy days were a conundrum for Kakashi to deal with, especially now that he was utterly all alone for once in the past week. Sakura had been right when she'd said they were joined at the hips, figuratively and literally. That was probably why he fell back into an old habit of his after reading enough Icha Icha to start to miss his cherry blossom fiercely, drinking. His feet, having a mind of their own it seemed, steered him out of the rain that afternoon and into the usual bar the jounin elite haunted. He'd barely noticed that he was inside at all till someone shouted his name across the room, "Hey! Kakashi!"

It would figure that the usual table in the back was crowded with familiar faces, and that the one doing all the yelling would be none other than Genma. They'd spotted him now. There was no escape. Walking over, he raised his hand and gave the usual short wave and greeting, "Yo."

"Where's your sexier half?" Shiranui asked with a bit of a slur. Obviously, he was a few rounds late in getting drunk if his friend was already that sloshed. Kakashi also ignored his pride's demand for retribution at the blatant reference to Sakura's physical assests. He wasn't about to get into another pissing match with his friend so quickly after the unexpected encounter the day before. Reluctantly, he pulled up a chair between Asuma and Raidou, spared from having to sit next to the senbon-sucker for once. "Lunch with her other friends," Kakashi announced before digging into his pockets and pulling out a thin wad of money, throwing it down on the table, "That'll cover it. I'm not the only one missing a woman. Where's the others?"

Gai looked at the Copy nin dimly, fiddling with an empty cup, "Anko is over in the Academy today . . . with Iruka-san."

Genma didn't look too happy at the snake woman's name either.

His one eye widened a moment before settling on the many decanters of sake before them, half of which he assumed were empty, "No wonder you two are drinking this early."

Hating to admit it, part of Kakashi felt sorry for his self-proclaimed rival. He'd only heard parts of the break-up, but the general knowledge was that it was past history now between Maito Gai and Mitarashi Anko, and would stay that way. No one ever prodded the taijutsu master for details, and the Copy nin certainly didn't want to be the first one to try. He didn't feel sorry for Genma though, knowing the notorious philander had practically asked for the eventual fallout for associating with the woman for what ever illicit reasons. He just never figured the man would be taking it this hard when he was so use to rejection. Besides, Genma's current mood was more than enough payback for the day before. "And Kurenai?" Kakashi asked with a glance towards Asuma, reaching across to pour himself a drink.

"Mission with her new team of genin."

"Another bunch?" he asked, trying not to sound concerned. Ever since the siege, the Academy had been turning out ninjas to refill the ranks of Konoha, over turning teams in just a few months to try and pass as many genin as possible. Sometimes there were good results, sometimes not. The course of action was perhaps careless of the Hokage, but he wasn't about to say that out loud either. On second thought, none of the kids or their mentors had died either, so maybe his opinion didn't really matter. Asuma didn't seem worried though for the woman, fiddling with the cigarette in his mouth, "She's fine. Certainly used to dealing with a bunch of kids more than I am."

"You miss her every time she goes away or else you wouldn't be in here with the rest of us," Raidou added, downing the small cup of sake, before scowling, "But at least you have someone coming home to you, or at least waiting, you and Kakashi-san both."

"Shut up," Genma groused going for another drink, "For once, I don't want to think about women at the moment, unless it's related to sex."

The Copy nin nearly choked on his drink, trying desperately not to snicker, "The only time you do think of women is when it comes to sex."

"Smartass. I'm not that much of a pervert . . . there's nothing wrong with being oversexed . . . a little."

"A little? Just a little?"

"At least I'm not both like someone at this table."

"I always did think perversions were my esteemed rival's department, given his taste in literature, and the love of the youthful innocence of that flowering bud so aptly named Sakura. But really, is he that bad as to rival your intake?" Gai said with a grin. It would figure that the conversation would eventually turn back to that. No matter how often Kakashi tried to dodge their questions, nudges, and assorted winks, he and Sakura were always the topic of much discussion and ribbing. Expect for Asuma, he could understand the fascination to an extent, but sometimes they did push it too far. Genma snorted in derisive laughter before he could reply, "Like hell he is, I ain't letting that title go . . . but he is catching up fast, at least since he plucked the cherry blossom."

"I'm still here you know," Kakashi quipped, glowering darkly at his supposed friend.

"Like I hadn't noticed," the senbon-user just stared back, "Is there anywhere in all of Konoha you two haven't desecrated yet?"

"I'll have to get back to you on that one."

Genma frowned, his eyes hardening, "You wouldn't believe where I found them yesterday, naked."

The sounds of sake cups hitting the table went all around, along with the dropping of jaws. Kakashi's dark eye widened, his face turning white, "You wouldn't . . ."

"It's part of why I'm drinking. I never want to see that much of you ever again. What exactly were you doing to her anyway that you were both wet? Even your fucking clothes were wet, at least the ones I could see lying around."

The Copy nin held his breath, barely keeping from turning red. Slowly a grin crept onto his face, hidden under the mask, "I thought it would have been fairly obvious to you what we did, Genma. No wonder you're losing your touch with the ladies."

Hearty laughter spread around the table, and it seemed he was off the hook for the moment, expect for the glare he got from target of his insult. "Very fucking funny. You don't have to rub it in. I could see you two were obviously 'preoccupied', But . . . Damnit! I'm dying to know! Was she telling the truth? Or just stunned by the fact that you're prettier than me without your stupid mask?" he asked, suddenly serious even if the metal point in his mouth waved up and down, "There's no way in hell you can be a better fuck than me."

A pin drop would have been louder than the dead silence around the table. The drop of Asuma's still burning cigarette on the table from his slack jaw was deafening in comparison.

There could only be one thing he was referring to with that statement, Sakura's assessment, yet again. Everyone at the table knew what she'd said after the siege courtesy of Genma and Raidou's waiting room gossiping. None of them ever brought it up though, especially as bluntly with the subjects in question sitting right there at the table. Shiranui had either lost his damned mind, was a lot braver than they all thought, or was very, very drunk.

So, that was the center of his friend's accumulated jealousy and anger, and why he still wanted his cherry blossom. Kakashi wished the floor would swallow him up as much as the notion that he'd out done Genma flattered his ego every time he heard it. He almost wished too that those words never came out of his lover's mouth in the first place, at least when he wasn't around to hear them. Apparently though, that one sentence uttered in the middle of battle had ruffled Genma's feathers enough that he never, ever, forgot them or let the whole thing go, even one year later. There was only one answer to the question, "If it were true, I wouldn't need to boast about it to prove it."

Snickers round the table of men broke the tension, and the senbon-user got the joke last, glowering, "Smartass."

"We should call you the Indirect Ninja instead. If you ever answered a pointed question directly, I'd think we'd all die of shock," Asuma said with a smirk, grinding the fallen smoke into an ashtray, "What exactly was Genma alluding to anyway? It can't be anything but indiscreet."

"Sword training," Kakashi said blankly, dead seriousness in his voice. Well, it was a direct answer. The table erupted in dirtier sounding snickers along with pats on the Copy nin's back and much winking. He bit down a sigh. It was the truth, or at least the only part of the truth he'd talk about without a lot more sake.

"Was she polishing your blade?"

"No, I bet she was just sharpening the point."

"Or maybe testing the grip of the hilt."

"Or maybe she helped him sheath his blade!"

The euphemisms only got worse, and more inane, leaving the other men howling in laughter while Kakashi ignored them to down another cup of sake before they noticed. He didn't care really what they thought so long as he didn't have to answer another damned question. If a little secrecy kept his friends from asking about more serious subjects like love, or why he hadn't married Sakura, all the better. His reputation was shot anyway, not that he cared about that either. "Ah! The pleasurable exertions of youth! . . . Are you sure it's good for your health, attempting to keep up with such a lady so full of, err, youthful exuberance?" Gai asked, and Kakashi nearly choked on his drink again.

Did they really think he was that old?

A pale eyebrow ticked in annoyance, "I'm almost thirty-nine, not sixty-nine. I don't smoke, I train everyday, don't over eat, and don't get plastered as much as I used to. All my physicals say I am as healthy as I can be. If there was a problem, Sakura would probably be the first person to discover it. I am not about to keel over dead from-."

At the sight of the grins around the table, he no longer wanted to complete that sentence. The Copy nin scowled at the lot of them, "Out of all likely possible scenarios for my eventual death, dying of heart failure on top of Sakura ranks somewhere below getting struck by lightning and above having my throat ripped out by Pakkun."

"How many times have you muttered about her being the death of you?" Genma asked, sounding rather smug.

"Too many, but how many times have I proved that she's the life of me too?" Kakashi asked in completely sincerity, smiling under the mask to himself and no one else.

"A lot," all four men said in chorus before Gai added in, "But perhaps not nearly enough."

Cups were raised along with mutterings of agreement. Even if he didn't like it, his rival had a point. It was partially shocking that he'd said those words aloud, and without the person there who really should have heard them. But then again, Sakura probably already knew, and that was more than enough.

* * *

"I swear if Lee or Gai-sensei gives me one baby-sized green leotard at the shower, I'll strangle them with it," Tenten muttering over her tea, getting giggles and snickers from all of them. Sakura's own mirth was muffled by the bite of dango she ate, trying not to choke on it. Here they went again, back to the topic of babies, and the pink-haired kunoichi was sure that eventually they'd ask her. As Hinata looked at her quizzically again, she knew it what was coming next, "Sakura-san, I don't mean to pry, but . . . well . . ."

"Why aren't you knocked up yet too?" Pig asked bluntly, making the Hyuga woman fluster.

"Ino-san, please, do you have to be so coarse about the subject?"

"Hinata-chan, she's been with the guy for a year, and nearly keeled over saving him. She more than deserves to be the mother of his brats. We've all seen them acting like rabbits in heat around each other, and it isn't about to stop any time soon. The only thing keeping her from getting pregnant right now is that they force all active duty kunoichi on contraceptive herbs, but if you decided to settle down like the rest of us . . ." the blonde said before turning back to her friend, staring into her green eyes, "You cannot tell me you don't want to have millions of little ninja babies with that man."

Sakura's jaw had long since dropped, moving up and down in shock while searching her head for an answer. Her inner self didn't help at all by agreeing with Ino-Pig. If things were different, if she was a little still like her old self, she would be having Kakashi's child one way or another eventually. But then again, if she was like her old self, she wouldn't deserve him. There were some things more important to her now that made her childhood fantasies of love, marriage, and babies dissolve into so much dust.

"I know, Ino, part of me would agree in an instant if he asked me to be the mother of his children, but . . . I know he won't ever ask, I don't blame him, and I won't stop loving him either," she explained, looking at the other women serious, "I'm happy for all of you, really, but . . . that sort of woman isn't me anymore. I am a shinobi of the Leaf. This village, and everyone in it, is more important to me. The protection of Konohagakure is my duty and it is my privilege. If sacrifices must be made to continue to do what I have to do . . . I'll do it."

Three pairs of sympathetic eyes looked at her, opal, blue, and brown. Of course they knew want it meant to be one of the Leaf. All three of them had been right there growing up along side her, but they'd all taken a path away from being just ninjas. Sakura looked down, squashing the small amount of regret. No, she wouldn't feel like that, not anymore. This was their, no, this was her choice, and she wouldn't regret it. "Besides, you should ask Hinata-chan how painful it was giving birth to Ichigo. Then you both might have reconsidered before procreating yourselves," she said, eating another ball of dango.

Ino snorted, "Leave it to the medic-nin to quail at a little pain."

"A little? Don't you remember any of those special classes at the Academy? You have something a little smaller than a winter melon trying to be squeezed out of your body whether you want it to come out or not. I've been in the maternity ward enough times to know exactly what it looks and sounds like. Hinata, tell them what you did to Naruto when you went into labor," Sakura pleaded.

The pale-eyed woman had stopped twiddling her fingers to twist a lock of purple tinged black hair instead, slowly turning bright red. This was too embarrassing. The moment wasn't one of her happier memories with her husband, even if it had been more than worth it afterwards. Sakura had witnessed the whole blessed event. She could tell the story better, and yet she was staring at her, almost daring her to talk. "Well . . ." Hinata started to say, "I wasn't exactly in the right state of mind at the time . . ."

Ino and Tenten's eyebrows both shot up, giving the petite woman their undivided attention as she continued. "I apologized profusely afterwards, and he knew I didn't mean it, and it's so embarrassing! And I know this time it'll be different, and-."

"You were in so much pain that ripped his shirt off!" Sakura yelled, slamming a fist down on the table, "You were swearing bloody murder if he ever got you pregnant again! I saw the whole thing! It took three nurses to pry you off of him before the contractions hit! You should have seen how white Naruto went when you threatened to forcibly remove his, err . . ."

The two other women howled in laughter as Hinata went from red to purple, wobbling slightly in her seat, "I-I-I-I was in a lot of pain . . . at the time. I would never . . ."

"Obviously if you let him knock you up again," Ino said with a smirk, "Did she really rip his shirt off?"

"I-I-I can't remember . . ."

"Yes, she did! I swear to Kami-sama! She grabbed him by the collar and just ripped!"

The two collapsed into giggles, and slowly Hinata smiled, giving a small giggle herself, "Alright, maybe I did . . . but I was in a lot of pain. I can't blame Sakura-san for not wanting to go through such a thing . . . please make sure they give me whatever that wonderful medicine I received before I get that far into labor again? I don't think I could keep from killing Naruto-kun again without it."

Sakura giggled, "I made sure it was on your records after that. I don't think the other medic's will look at you sideways ever again without drugging you up first, heavily."

Tenten leaned forward, warming her hands on the cup of green tea, "Oh come on, duty aside, that excuse still isn't much of a reason to keep from having kids."

"You're right, it isn't, but it is part of it."

"Come on, Forehead, admit it. There is something else holding you back. What is it?"

A wiry grin appeared on Sakura's face as she answered Ino flatly, "They say the first thing to disappear after giving birth is sex. I am not giving that up just yet."

The women erupted in laughter, and the pink-haired one just grinned. Out of all of them, Ino was the loudest, clutching the slight bulge in her stomach while swaying onto Tenten's shoulder, "I knew it! Not so innocent now are we, Forehead!"

"None of us have been that innocent since Naruto and Hinata's reception. Even my wedding wasn't that ridiculously huge or orgiastic," Tenten said mischievously, "I still can't burn the image of Gai-sensei dancing on one of the tables from my head."

There was a universal groan as they all remembered said incident, and how it ended, the table breaking under Rock Lee's knuckles not soon after someone slipped him a drink. Sakura chuckled, "Alright, alright. I freely admit that this past year has been decidedly indecent, but I knew that getting into this relationship."

"Everyone sort of knew that already. It's kind of endearing, really, but we all kind of figured you'd attempt to curb the perverted-ness, not be sucked into it," Ino said with a smirk, pointing an empty stick at her pink-haired friend, "He still reads that stuff in public you know, whenever you aren't there."

"Why does everyone feel the need to remind me? I know already. . ." Sakura said seriously before raising her head slightly with a lofty, defiant stare, "And I'm not ashamed of it or him."

Hinata gasped, sounding remarkably like she had inhaled a dango whole, "Sakura-san! Even Naruto-kun doesn't-!"

"I know Lee has a stash somewhere, but really! I'd die of shock if he ever pulled something like that out for everyone to see!"

". . . My, my, Forehead, he'd corrupted you deeper than I thought."

"I tried to get him to stop that first week, I failed, and I hadn't touched the topic with him since till yesterday. It was then that I realized all I was feeling in the first place was jealousy, like I was competing with the women in those books. He made me realize that I wasn't. So, what do I have to be afraid of? Besides . . . they aren't that bad . . ."

Ino scoffed, "See, he has you reading now, and running late too! Corrupt, I tell you!"

Sakura rolled her eyes, about to tell her friend off when Hinata broke in, "Ino-san, you sound like my Naruto-kun, and I know his reasons for being uncomfortable the state of Sakura-san's relationship with Hatake-san. What's yours?"

She watched, green eyes blinking at the unbelievably red blush coming over the blonde's cheeks. Pig was flustered; she rarely got flustered. It was too great of an opening to miss, "She has a point, Ino-Pig, but I don't care why it is any of your concern. All I have to say is that any one of us ladies are as corrupt, perverse, or what have you, as the men are. We may even be worse for keeping our own preoccupations with sex to ourselves and not just admitting it. Every one of these sessions invariably turns to the topic of sex in one form or another, and even you talk about it. Did you really think I'd forget when you confessed to letting Chouji eat sashimi off your stomach?"

For a brief moment, Ino looked exactly like shy Hinata at her most embarrassed, nearly purple and on the verge of fainting dead away under the intensity of the grins and barely held back giggles of the women around her. ". . . I should have taken that one to my grave . . ." she muttered under her breath, suddenly wishing it was sake before her and not more tea.

"You know, I never did picture you and Chouji together," Tenten admitted, trying to change the topic, "It was almost as shocking as hearing about Sakura and Kakashi-san."

Ino's smile immediately brightened, "And you never asked? You're nicer that I thought . . ."

Before the brown-haired woman could think of how to take that statement, the blonde continued without missing a beat, "Well, let me tell you. He's been training a lot harder for years now, trying to get his body to handle those red pills of his better. Chouji's been very dedicated to it when he realized that Shika-kun was moving to Suna for Temari, and well . . . One mission he came back after using the pill, and he looked so different, so, well, handsome! I never knew he was all muscle under there! It sort of opened my eyes a little. I don't know how I missed him. He sort of grew on me, you know, when I started cooking for him to get his weight back up instead of snacking all the time. And well . . . I guess it was all down hill from there!"

Despite herself, Sakura laughed softly, "Love seems to have a way of doing that, growing on you."

"That's right, Forehead, unfortunately, it hasn't grown your hairline."

Tenten tried not to snicker, and Hinata tried not to grin, but Ino was all smiles, watching the kunoichi blow a lock of pink hair away from her eyes. "Never gonna give it up, are you, Pig?" she asked, propping an elbow on the table to lean forward, "But I wouldn't-! Hey!"

Sakura's head whipped around fast as she saw a dark-clad woman with long, vibrant purple hair start to walk out of the dango shop. No one else in Konoha had that color except for one woman. Distinctly ignoring the others, she turned around on the booth bench, yelling across the restaurant, "Saki-chan!"

It would have taken absolute blindness on Sasaki's behalf to miss the frantically waving woman in the back of the shop once she heard her name so loudly. Even at her half-hearted wave back, the pink-haired kunoichi didn't stop, beckoning her over to the booth filled with other women. It didn't look like she had much of a choice. Reluctantly slow, the old ninja stepped up to the table, smiling only slightly, "Sakura-chan, it is odd running into you here, and without Kakashi lingering about."

She giggled, interrupted by Ino, "Who is this, Forehead?"

"Ino, Hinata-chan, Tenten-chan, this is Sasaki-san. She's . . . a mutual friend of mine and Kakashi's."

Hinata raised an eyebrow. She knew about 'mutual friends' being around Naruto long enough. It was practically ANBU code-speak for teammates since no one revealed the identity of teams in public. Every time her husband dropped by their place in the compound with his 'mutual friends', she knew it was another mission planning session. The other two women at the table simply shrugged, muttering words of greeting. "Did you eat already?" Sakura asked, sinking back onto the bench, "Would you like to join us?"

"Um, I did eat already. I am supposed to meet Takeo in an hour-."

"Takeo? Who's Takeo?" Ino interrupted, "Is he your boyfriend?"

Sasaki looked mortified till her teammate came to her defense, "Pig! For goodness sake, he's just a-!"

"Mutual friend," Hinata and the purple-haired woman said in unison, looking slightly shocked at one another. The ANBU operative blinked, curious how out of all the words she could have said, that one came out first. "How did you . . .?" she asked, still more than a bit surprised."

"This is Hyuga Hinata, heiress to the clan, and wife of Uzumaki-san," Sakura explained, trying not to grin. Sasaki's dark eyes widened in surprise even more. She was the wife of Uzumaki Naruto? This quiet, petite woman was the wife of Fox Team's loud, reckless, and vastly over-powering Captain? "Oh . . ." she said as she slipped down onto the bench, "Pleasure to meet you. I'm sorry. The name didn't ring any bells right away."

Smiling graciously, she nodded, "Pleasure to meet you as well, Sasaki-san."

"Wait, I want hear about this Takeo guy! Who is he?!" Ino yelled at them, her fist slamming the table. Sakura chuckled, getting curious looks from the two other women at the table. After calming down, she pointed at her blonde friend, "Pig, you're married. Why would heading about some guy interest you at all anymore?"

"Vicarious living," she answered with a curt nod, "It's gossip and guys, I need to hear all about him!"

"I don't think . . ." Sasaki started to say, trailing off, "Really, he's just another guy. He's only a-."

"Mutual friend, I heard that much so far, but then again you're going to meet him, why?"

"Training."

Across the table, Tenten raised an eyebrow, "Training? You train with him, and nothing else?"

"Well, he's a little anti-social."

Hinata smiled sweetly, sipping her tea, "I was like that once."

"You still a little are, Mouse. You still turn redder than Forehead's clothes as soon as one of us mentions your Naruto-kun," Ino said with an impish grin as the Hyuga woman did in fact squeak like a mouse.

"Oh, let her go, Ino-Pig. At least she doesn't faint anymore."

"Wait, why is this guy anti-social?" Tenten asked, leaning forward, "He isn't like how Hatake-san and a loner, is he? Or is he just shy like Hinata-chan?"

Put on the spot, Sasaki's mouth moved up and down, trying to pick a reason herself. It was difficult since yesterday she would have sworn that Takeo was exact as shy as the other woman, but every other time, in uniform, he seemed so aloof, like Kakashi. Maybe that second personality was all an act put on for the purpose of seeming professional like an ANBU ninja should be. Her dark eyes widened slightly, "You're right, he's shy, very shy in fact when I ran into him yesterday."

"You ran into him?! Off-duty?! What'd he say? Was he still totally drop-dead gorgeous?" Sakura asked, nearly jumping off the bench.

"He's what?! Have you been holding out on us, Forehead?! Is he a Jounin? How gorgeous is he!?" Ino almost jumped off her bench and onto the table too if it weren't for Hinata and Tenten holding her back down, "Who is this guy!?"

"Kimura, Kimura Takeo," Sasaki answered, barely keeping her cheeks from blazing in embarrassment. The silence from the nosy blonde's mouth was more deafening than her shouting. "Him? You train with him? You two are 'mutual friends' with him?" she said, surprising serious and sober.

Sakura looked at her friend in bewilderment, "Yeah, why?"

"Do you have any idea of the rumors I've heard about him? What he does?"

The pink-haired kunoichi was about to open her mouth and yell till she was cut off by Sasaki, "We know."

"Doesn't it creep you out at all? All he'd have to do with touch you, and you couldn't say no or anything to whatever he wanted to do to you."

"I know . . ."

There was absolute silence round the table. Hinata and Tenten looked on the three other women in confusion. The blonde had been shocked into abject horror, Sakura into sorrow, and the newcomer, Sasaki, into deep thoughtfulness. Hinata broke the quiet it first, "Perhaps we should take turns in speaking, and get to the bottom of this . . ."

Everyone nodded, and Ino opened her mouth first, "I've only hear rumors, but this guy, Kimura Takeo, holds a forbidden jutsu. One touch will send anyone, regardless of gender, into, well . . . they will throw themselves at the person who touched them without thought. He's been called a pervert by quite a few people, a philanderer, a womanizer, a whore . . . but I've never heard of him being involved with anyone, male and female, period."

She stopped while letting the news sink in before continuing, her voice decidedly lower, "I've heard that he's also been accused of rape, numerous times, but no one's stepped forward and he's never been tried. The going theory is that our Hokage is keeping any such accusations off his record as well as sealing them. I also heard he's in the bingo book, but there's no picture, only a description of his signature talent. He must be a hell of a recluse. You're the first two people who can even tell us what he looks like. He has no friends, no acquaintances."

"I wonder why . . ." Sasaki said with an edge of sarcastic anger in her voice, "People are so horrible sometimes . . ."

Ino's eyes softened, "Well maybe you can help us dispel some of these untruths then."

"That's sort of the problem. I've seen what that jutsu can do, and that's exactly right. I've only ever seen him use it on missions when he absolutely has to, but it's never gone that far before . . . I can't imagine him forcing someone with it against their will, he's too . . ." Sasaki trailed off, turning pink, "Sakura said it right. He's gorgeous when he cleans up at least. No woman would want to say no to him without a very good reason."

Sakura's green eyes lit up at her last statement, "You mean you wouldn't say no to him without a very good reason."

"Sakura-chan, it isn't like that! I swear! He's also too . . . shy, painfully shy, which makes it completely unbelievable to think he could do something like that. He practically ran from me after I asked him out for drinks on Friday."

Gasps went round the table, "You asked him out!?"

"Um, yes?"

"And he said yes?!" Sakura asked, nearly pouncing on the woman, "Please tell me he said yes!"

"He did, but . . ."

"But what?"

"I don't know. I just have a feeling he won't show up. I barely recognized him yesterday, like he didn't want to be spotted in public. Going out to a bar probably isn't such a good idea. I realize that now," she said with a slight nod, before turning to stand up again, "I should probably be going."

"You're gonna give up just like that? Now who's being shy?" Ino asked with a smirk as Sasaki's head whipped towards her. The words had lit a fire in her dark eyes, but it didn't seem to scare the blonde at all. "That's rich, you seemed determined to damn Takeo a few minutes ago for the sake of rumors," the purple-haired woman said curtly, turning back around, "Change of heart now?"

"Even nosy busybodies like myself can be wrong about people. Just admit it, you like him, right?"

"Pig, that's enough. You don't know, Saki-chan, or her feelings," Sakura interrupted, glaring at her friend, "Just drop it."

For a moment, Sasaki froze, knowing what the pink-haired woman was implying. Hayate. She'd almost forgotten about him too, almost. Her mouth stayed decidedly closed, not about to utter the name in public out of fear of opening her old wounds for new examination. It was funny how those scars always seemed to reappear, more vivid than before, when other people decided they were worthy of discussion. Seeing the older woman's eyes un-focus a moment then seemed to drift off, Ino knew Sakura was right, and she had overstepped her bounds. Tact sometimes was her strong suit, but she wasn't about to let this one get away either, "Fine, but I do know you want him to show up at that bar, you can't deny that. Otherwise, you never would have asked him in the first place right?"

The purple-haired kunoichi sagged onto the bench, sighing, "Alright, I do, but not for the reasons you think, I just . . . I just want to be his friend. He seems like he needs one."

And honestly, she needed a friend too.

Sakura nearly beamed, wrapping Sasaki in a tight hug, "Oh, Saki-chan, that's so sweet of you! To be so considerate of such a handsome man's loneliness!"

"S-Sakura-chan? Air?" she wheezed before being let up long enough to gulp down the air, "Thank you . . . I think. He's still going to skip out on me I think, even if he knows you and Kakashi with be there too."

"You're taking him to that bar? Hummm . . ." There was a calculating glance in Sakura's green eyes as she leaned back, tapping her fingers together. The three women across from her suddenly looked nervous. Tenten was the first of them to speak, "This won't be good . . ."

Sasaki blinked about to ask the meaning of that phrase when an explanation was given to her by Hinata, "Sakura-san and ideas . . . Maybe there's something else we can think of before-."

It was too late as the pink-haired kunoichi grinned, "It's perfect, absolutely perfect."

"What is it?" Sasaki asked, suddenly nervous herself.

"I'll get him there alright, but I'll need to find him first. Think you can get me a piece of something of his?"

"What?!"

"I just need clothing or something to track him, something with his scent on it, the grungier the better. You'll owe me for this since I'll have to call in a favor or wheedle what I need out of my significant other somehow."

"Sakura, I don't think . . ."

"You're gonna be late for your training, just do it. Trust me!" she said, nearly pushing the purple-haired woman from the booth. Sighing as she rose back to her feet, it looked like she didn't have much of a choice. "Alright, fine, where would you like me to deposit the item?" she asked, trying not to frown.

"Bring it to my apartment late this afternoon or tomorrow afternoon, whenever you've got it, ok?"

"Fine," she bowed slightly to the other women, "Nice to meet you all."

They nodded in return, and after a few likewise murmurings, Sasaki was gone, out the door. As soon as she was away, Ino turned back to Sakura, "Spill it, Forehead."

"You really want to know what I have planned?"

"Yes! I want in on this! You're gonna be accomplice to this piece of romantic crime, so I wanna know what happens or want some hand in it too, so start talking."

"Well, I don't know what you can do, but . . ."

For the next half-hour, the only noise that came out of the back booth occupied by the women was conspiratorial whispers, much to the relief of the dango shop's manager. He should have kicked them long ago given the number of complaints he'd gotten from other customers. But, they were regulars. Every Wednesday lunch, the four women showed up, and ordered enough dango for two customers each, almost enough to beat the amount of his best customer in a single sitting, Mitarashi Anko. As long as they came back, didn't destroy the place, and didn't harass his staff, he didn't have much problem with them. It was becoming a small joke among the help as well, dubbed The Konoha Kunoichi Ladies Auxiliary.

The name brought a smirk to his lips. Really, like kunoichis needed a support group to function. What a ridiculous notion.

* * *

To Be Continued in Lesson 07 of The Way of the Sword, Dog Day Afternoons. 


	8. Dog Day Afternoons

The Way of the Sword

A Naruto fanfiction, By Serenanna

Lesson 07 – Dog Day Afternoons

Warnings and Disclaimers: I don't own Naruto or any of the characters. I'm just borrowing them to play with. I'll return them later, promise. There is adult content, and sexual situations in this story involving sharp, pointy objects. So, if you're under 18, leave now before your virgin eyes are scarred forever, if you're over 18, enjoy!

Story Notes: This is a Kakashi/Sakura fic, while other pairings may come and go. This story is a continuation of Ronsmyhero's Respect and Understanding. Reading that fic is a good idea in order to understand this one as there will be references from it. It is being written with her knowledge and stamp of approval. In case she ever makes her own sequel, this is an AU take. I know a fanfic of a fanfic probably isn't a good idea, but I'm giving it a whirl. Ronsmyhero, this is in honor of you. To that end, I am making an OC to be Yajima's replacement, and the way this story is shaping, he will be paired with Sasaki, eventually. Outside of the basics of the Naruto world, I'm a complete newbie. If this fic breaks a lot of canon as far as combat goes, I'm sorry. The style of sword combat I'm going with will try to be semi-realistic. If that's against canon, again, I'm sorry. Lemons of various shapes and sizes will abound along with mild drama, angst, buckets of humor, raunchiness, fluff, and action. This is your fair warning.

* * *

Sasaki barely missed the slice to her shoulder, ducking in time before the blade of the sai touched skin. Either she was getting slow, or he was getting faster. Or it was the drizzle they fought in making the mistakes for her. No, it wasn't any of those things. She was distracted, very distracted. Between bouts of blaming herself for stopping to talk to Sakura and her friends, the purple-haired swordwoman could feel the sapphire eyes of her opponent on her. Well, they were supposed to be, but that was beside the point. Takeo was looking at her and not just the end of her weapon. She just knew it from the raise of hair on the back of her neck. He jabbed in with the second sai, and she parried it away, taking a big step into his personal space. Sasaki hesitated a moment, locking eyes as much as weapons, then swept her foot at his ankle. The ninja didn't think, just reacted, leaving a poof of grey smoke to envelope her.

When the fog cleared, a log rested at her feet.

"Cheap!" she shouted in fury, turning around just in time to block the twin sais aimed at her back, "You just didn't want to fall and look stupid!"

"If it works, it works," Takeo said with a slight grin, quickly jabbing back and forth only to watch her parry each blow. He forced Sasaki back towards the trees till she twisted away instead of letting herself be caught in the confined space. She slashed low, and he turned as well, dancing around her again. It still didn't make sense in her head, the graceful, confident man before her, and the shy, nervous creature from the day before. Maybe she'd dreamed it all. It was rather hot out that day. There was no way they were the same person. And to add to the confusion were Ino's rumors. She had already heard of his reputation, seen the jutsu, knew he wasn't highly thought of, but to be accused of that atrocity? And to be under the protection of the Hokage because of it? No, the blonde had to be wrong about him. There was no way he could be guilty of something so horrible as rape . . . was there?

She hesitated again, missing to block his sai.

The sharp point stopped at her throat, then withdrew as her arms sagged in defeat. She pushed the white cat mask with red markings up to the top of her head, cursing under her breath, "Damn . . ."

"Are you alright?" Takeo asked as he pushed his similarly painted bird mask up as well, the concern evident in his voice, "You seem distracted today."

"I'm fine," Sasaki said bitterly, jamming the short sword back into the sheath across her back before starting to walk away. It was the farthest thing from the truth, and the dark-haired ninja didn't seem to buy it as she felt his eyes on her back. When she heard his footsteps squish the wet grass in following her, she spun on him, "I said I'm fine!"

Takeo didn't move, didn't say a word. He just slowly nodded with one dip of his head. The breath the kunoichi had been holding came out in a ragged exhale, "I'm fine . . ."

"Saki-chan . . . if something's bothering you . . .?" he started to ask, but stopped at the glare of her dark eyes. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea, trying to talk to her when she obviously didn't want to be disturbed. He could feel it again, the nervousness creeping up and down his spine. She'd caught him at his most normal and vulnerable yesterday, which he didn't intend to happen at all. Was that what was getting to her? Before he could ponder on it, she turned away, "You have your secrets, and I respect that. It's like you said a while ago, reputations aren't all they're cracked up to be . . ."

For a moment, it felt like his heart had stopped beating. Did she know? How much did she know about him? The ninja went very still, turning paler. At the silence, Sasaki continued, "I heard some rumors today, about you. I . . . I just want you to know that I don't believe them in the slightest. I don't know you at all, but I do know that you certainly aren't what people say you are. I wish . . . I wish I could get to know you a little better, at least outside of training. To be honest, that's why I asked you out . . . Friday night."

There, she said it. The kunoichi bit her lip to keep from bursting in pride at herself. It didn't matter what he said next, but at least he knew how she felt. Though, Takeo still hadn't said anything, even after a full minute of silence. For a moment, Sasaki was almost sure her pride had fallen into the pit of her stomach with dread, slowly glancing over her shoulder. His head was bowed, dark-hair spilling over his bangs which made his blue eyes unreadable. Had she said something wrong? He looked up at her again, and she could tell the smile on his lips was forced, "Thank you, Saki-chan, for understanding. I appreciate your sentiments, and value your high opinion of me . . . Do you think we can skip training tomorrow and Friday? I have something to do those days."

Sasaki blinked at him, again thrown for a loop. He had heard her right? Why didn't he say anything? He should have said something! Her mouth dropped open before moving on their own, too numb to do otherwise, "Um, sure, probably Saturday off too. Might not be in the right condition to train that morning anyway."

Takeo nodded and walked past her towards the building, not stopping till he heard her call out, "You will be there? Friday, right?"

"I'll try but I can't make any promises. I hope you understand," the ninja said without a glance over his shoulder. He kept on walked, and, this time, she didn't stop him. Standing there in the middle of the drizzling rain with her arms held uselessly in front of her, Sasaki realized that he was trying to escape, but from what? Her, specifically? No, that was impossible. Outside of work, they barely knew one another. Was he trying to escape from people in general? Maybe, it would explain the cold act he'd just given her. And if Ino's story was right, there seemed to be a very good reason he avoided people. Either way, it proved one thing. He wasn't going out with her or anyone else Friday night. "Looks like I need Sakura's help after all," Sasaki muttered under her breath, heading back towards the building alone.

* * *

Ten minutes later, the purple-haired kunoichi found herself in unfamiliar territory, or at least outside of it. She must have been incredibly brave or incredibly stupid to come up with this plan on the spur of the moment. Sakura said she needed a piece of Takeo's clothing or scent to find him, and what better place to get such an article than from an ANBU locker room. Sasaki was fairly certain that this foolhardy idea was indeed incredibly stupid. She'd staked out the door for the past five minutes after watching Takeo enter, and saw no one else go in or out. That was a given. Most of the other shinobi were either out on missions or still training in the rain. If she got caught, her record would probably never live it down. Getting caught was not an option. It was right then or never in her mind, to boldly go where no woman had gone before.

Slipping from her hiding place across the hall, she silently pushed the door open and went inside. The lockers were deserted except for one lone bag sitting on the plank bench. In the distance, she could hear the drizzle of the showers, and it made her heart pound faster. Takeo, the sound had to be him there, getting clean. When was the last time she'd seen a man naked? Too long ago, and just the thought of the gorgeous ninja soaking wet and unaware shot straight into the pit of her stomach. A shake of the head broke her wandering thoughts off. Thinking about the man, or any man, in that aspect right now was the last thing she needed. She had to focus and get this over with. Approaching the bag, she could see that it was already opened, clothes spilling over the top. A belt harness sat beside it, holding twin sais. It was Takeo's alright.

Going through the mess, she could feel the dampness of the cloth from the rain, knowing all the scent had been washed from them. She dug deeper, stopping at the first dry thing she felt. Wrenching the material free, it didn't occur to Sasaki what she'd grabbed till she held it up. Underwear, dark grey knit boxer briefs specifically; she had grabbed his underwear. The purple-hair kunoichi nearly dropped them back on top of the bag. She couldn't take them, could she? He'd know someone had stolen them for sure. But as the sound of the shower stopped, Sasaki decided that yes, she could and would steal them. Getting caught by a wet, naked man while holding his underwear was not an option. Flying across the room with her prize in hand, she pounded out the door and ran like her life depended on it.

* * *

The late afternoon found Sakura back at home after some minor shopping. Kakashi had been there when she returned, reading like normal on the windowsill. She had been all prepared to yell at him for doing nothing all day till he pointed to the neat stack of washed clothes sorted and folded on top of their freshly-made bed. The sight made any argument she could have with him null and void. That was one thing he always did without complaint, laundry, while leaving all the room cleaning to her. The only household duties they argued over were dishes, trash, and food. More often than not, whoever cooked didn't have to do the washing or dumpster detail, which made Sakura idly wonder why he never took over the kitchen from her more often. Kakashi couldn't like doing the dishes, could he? She wasn't that good of a cook, and they both knew it, but her meals were edible and better than meals prepared on missions.

All in all, it was an easy, carefree living between them, and she liked it that way, though it would have helped if they picked up after themselves more. She was busy doing exactly that, grabbing the additional worn clothes and items scattered all over their home, when a knock sounded on the door. There was a shuffle in the bedroom, and she knew Kakashi getting up to answer the knock till she shouted, "I got it!"

Dropping the things in her arms onto the couch, she walked over and opened the door, finding a very harassed looking Sasaki on the other side. "This had better be worth it," she breathed, her ebony long coat damp from head to toe after running through the drizzle.

Sakura opened the door wide, letting her in as she shook off the water from her hair, "I don't think I said you had to come over right away. I'm not even ready yet . . . did you get it?"

"Would I be here if I didn't have 'it'?" the purple-haired woman asked, pulling open the brown canvas satchel slung over her shoulder. She pulled a piece of dark grey fabric and held it up to Sakura's green eyes, which widened in shock. "That's-! Those are-! Where in the-?! Are you nuts?!" she yelled unable to contain herself at the sight of the underwear.

"I grabbed the driest thing I could find. These just happened to be it," Sasaki said as she threw the offending garment into the other women's hands.

"I don't even want to know how you got them!"

"Sakura? Who is it?" she heard Kakashi followed by the creak of the wood floor. The kunoichi paled, knowing exactly what his reaction would be upon seeing male underwear in her hands that wasn't his, "Oh shit . . . Out into the hall, now!"

Yanking the door back open, she shoved her teammate back out while throwing the piece of clothing back at her. She closed it just as the silver-haired ninja entered the room. Slowly, she turned towards him, noticing how his eyebrows were raised in interest, "Who was it?"

"Just Naruto, another prank of his that he was gloating over. I chased him out, didn't want to deal with him right now since I'm sure someone's hot on his tail," she lied, convincingly it seemed as he murmured in approval, and looked back down at the copy of Icha Icha something or other in his hands. Sakura was sure she'd gotten away with it too till Kakashi asked one little question, "What did he do this time?"

The thought of what the conniving little fox demon container could do at his worst brought a smile to her face, giving her an idea as she grinned, "He stole someone's underwear."

"I thought he grew out of that?"

"Old habits die hard after all," she said, taking a significant look at the well-used book in the Copy nin's hands, "I think I'll go scold him now, before Hinata-chan lays into him when he gets home."

Kakashi smirked, closing the book long enough stare back at her, "Don't scramble his head too much. He might actually need it for something someday."

Sakura snorted giggles as he turned away and retreated back into the bedroom, cracking the book open again before disappearing completely. Once she was sure that he was completely preoccupied, she opened the door and stepped out into the hall, finding Sasaki leaning against the opposite wall. Her fingers toyed with the dark grey material, obviously nervous, "He is going to kill us if he finds out."

"Which 'he'? If Takeo doesn't kill you for pilfering his skivvies in the first place, Kakashi would kill him if he caught me just holding them," Sakura said as she pointed to the underwear, "Like he'd ever buy the fact that you stole them and not me."

"Ok, I get the point. Now what?"

"Has it stopped raining?"

"It's down to a drizzle."

"When did you last see him?"

"I left the Jounin Building before he did. By now he's probably on his way home."

"Ok, meet me outside there in an hour. I need to get someone from Kakashi. I'll see you there," Sakura said with a grin, heading back for the door.

"Someone? You're planning on borrowing one of his dogs, aren't you?"

"Got a better idea outside of tailing Takeo home?"

Even after stealing his underwear, Sasaki couldn't work up the courage to go that far, despite how using a dog to track him was nearly the same thing, only not. Sighing in resignation, she nodded, shoving the pair of boxers back into her satchel, "Alright, one hour."

Sakura lingered in the hallway till the kunoichi was gone, then walked back into the apartment with a sigh of relief. She did not want to know exactly how Sasaki had gotten a hold of the man's drawers, but she was damned if the sight of them didn't make her wonder just a little. Inner Sakura could think of one way she'd gotten them, but it didn't make sense in the scheme of things. Sasaki would never sleep with a man just to snag his underwear. And if she did, their current espionage undertaking would have been moot, right? At least there was one good side; it answered the boxers or briefs question by combining the two.

Now came the hard part in her plan, dealing with Kakashi.

Her arms swept up the pile of laundry from the couch, carrying it from the living room into the bedroom. Instead of reading from his usual perch by the window, The Copy nin was sprawled across their bed and on top of the covers with the book pressed close to his face. He was lying down on his stomach while turned towards the door, like he was anticipating her return. Her steps from the doorway to the basket in the corner slowed, admiring the view. Kakashi was still dressed like usual, wearing a short sleeved jounin shirt and matching cropped pants of dark blue, but his green vest was thrown over the side of the bed along with his gloves and sandals. The excess fabric of his mask hung round his neck like a cowl, and the forehead protector rested on the nightstand.

If she wasn't a woman with a mission, she would have been sorely tempted by the sight. Sakura dropped the laundry in the basket, "We have a bad habit of leaving clothes lying everywhere. I found a pair of my panties between the couch cushions."

"Next time I won't be in such a hurry then," he said, and she just knew there was a smirk behind the book. Sighing, Sakura plopped down beside him with a slight spring to the mattress. How was she ever going to ask him without spilling everything? She knew Kakashi well enough to know that he'd never let her have one of the dogs without a very good reason. Somehow, she doubted tracking down Takeo for the sake of hauling him out drinking counted as one such reason. She bit her lower lip in nervousness then slowly sunk down to part lie on his back. He stiffened slightly before relaxing when the tip of her chin rested on his shoulder. "Can I ask you a favor?" she asked softly into his ear.

Kakashi tilted his head, all the indication she got that he was listening and not reading. "I would like to borrow Pakkun or one of the other dogs for a little while," Sakura said rather quickly before adding in one important word, "Please?"

"Why?"

It was such an easy question to ask, and yet it made her stomach tighten in nervousness, "I can't tell you. It's a secret."

"And why is it a secret?"

"Because you'd never let me borrow them if I told you, and it's really important. Please, I just need one," Sakura pleaded, her arms encircling his neck, "Do it for me?"

Kakashi gave a small snort of laughter, "You want one of my dogs, but won't tell me why, only that I wouldn't like it and that it's important? What could be so important and horrible that you'd beg me?"

She pouted over his shoulder, nuzzling the back of his neck affectionately, "I can't tell you . . . Please, Ka-ka-shi?"

He went silent for a moment then asked, "Are you calling in the favor for winning against me?"

Sakura blinked. She'd forgotten all about that. One favor, no questions asked. And yet, it seemed like a waste to use it on one simple thing. It wasn't everyday that he owed her something. "I don't know . . ." she admitted, "You wouldn't like it if I used it on this matter would you?"

Kakashi stopped another moment before answering, "I can think of many things I'd rather see you use it on, like reenacting page seventy-five for instance."

"That would be my favor to you when it's you who owe me," Sakura pointed out with a slight giggle, "But . . . I suppose I could do something for you . . . in return of course."

She squirmed suggestively a moment, pressed against his back. The Copy nin stiffened again, going absolutely still. Sakura grinned, knowing he was taking the matter seriously now, even if the book in his hands remained stubbornly open. His head turned towards her a moment then shook his head, "No, I don't think you appreciate me enough. It would be another favor to you, not one to me."

Sakura bolted upright off of Kakashi's body to sitting on the back of her legs, her jaw dropped in shock. He said no, even to the offer of sex, that she didn't appreciate him. Where did he get off saying that she didn't appreciate him?! Her inner voice cracked its knuckles, preparing to feed them to him for the insult, yet that wouldn't get her one of the dogs. Reining down her anger wasn't easy, especially at the nature of his words, threatening to blow up into a full argument the longer his words sunk in. Kakashi must have sensed the waves of malice coming from her because he rolled over onto his back, and put the book down, "Well, what am I supposed to think? Not even a thank you for this morning . . ."

Her anger quickly changed to embarrassment as he sat up, almost leaning over her. "Is that what you want? A thank you?" Sakura asked, trying not to shiver under the examination of his eyes.

"It's a start . . ." he breathed in her ear and the kunoichi quivered. Of course, why didn't she think of that? Just a thank you wouldn't be enough. A moment ago, she had thought nothing about coming on to him. But then again, a moment ago, she wasn't feeling a blast of heat under her skin just from his proximity like she was right then and there. Maybe this wasn't such a brilliant idea after all. Sensing that she was about to flee, Kakashi grabbed her wrists with one hand, yanking her into his lap, "Don't start what you can't finish, Sakura."

She struggled in his hold, fighting back but . . . not fighting back, not really, stopping completely when she felt his lips on her neck. For a moment, all thoughts of her request for his dogs left her mind, more interested in the way his free fingers curled over the small of her back and towards her side. It took the action of him lifting her shirt ever so slightly to shake any sense of purpose back into her distracted mind. Sakura squirmed in his grasp, purposefully moving her hips against him, "I want something. You want something. What's a fair trade then?"

Kakashi's voice rumbled, and suddenly the pink-haired woman found herself staring up at him, bent backwards onto over his legs. Her wrists were pressed into the bed above her head, leaving her helpless as his hand caressed her stomach. Sakura sharply sucked in a breath through her teeth, trying to keep from whimpering. Was this part of what he wanted, or was he just teasing her? It was damned effective of a tease. Each subtle touch pushed her mind further and further from what she was supposed to be doing and on to other things, like how his hand moved up her dark blue shirt and over her ribs to pass just under her breast bindings. Kakashi slid out from under his captive, and turned to kneel over her, planting a knee between her legs to keep them apart. "Who ever said any trade would be fair?" the dark edge to his words made skin burn.

Turning her head away, Sakura whimpered then moaned, literally stuck between a rock and a hard place as her body rebelled. Even her inner voice had given up the fight of resisting him, figuring that there were worse situations she could be in. His palm slid over a linen wrapped breast, her body arching on its own to press further into his grasp. "What I want is to hear you say, truthfully, if this morning was worth my effort or not?" Kakashi asked, idly rubbing his thumb over a hardened peak underneath the bindings.

Her cheeks blazed at the question, squirming stronger from the combination of hands and words, "Truthfully?"

His nodded, all seriousness despite his fingers being all play. Sakura gulped down the hard lump in her throat, trying to focus long enough to say something remotely coherent, "I lost count."

"You lost count?"

Gah, why didn't he have to make her repeat it?! Wasn't making her squirm like a worm on a hook so effortlessly embarrassing enough?! "Yes, I lost count! Second best orgasm in my life, but I'm still feeling the pain, you sadistic bastard," she breathed, twisting under his hands in part anger and part desire.

Kakashi chuckled sinisterly, bending down to kiss her neck. Sakura moaned, her body reacting to him whether she wanted it to or not. "That's horny bastard to you," he corrected her, grabbing her breast a little rougher, kneading it, "What's number one?"

"The first time you . . ." her voice trailed off in a high-pitched whine, her feet kicking helplessly at the covers. If she was going to say anything else, it was obviously lost in the moan wrung from her throat. Kakashi's head tilted up to look at her. So that's why she said what she said, and to Genma no less. His grin turned borderline stupid, eyes creasing happily as his hand changed directions, moving back towards her abdomen. "There are two more things I want before I honor your request," he said, fingers skimming the elastic waistband of her skin-tight black shorts.

Her breath hitched as the hand dipped a little lower over the fabric, closer to her center, which throbbed in desperate need of relief. "What's that?" She asked, failing to keep the slight panic from her voice.

"The first is control over your wardrobe Friday night."

"What!? Why?!" Sakura said, struggling more despite how she was pinned.

Kakashi grinned, "Easy access."

The kunoichi squawked, torn between either throwing him off of her completely or rolling over till she was on top as punishment, "Easy access, my ass! There is no way I am letting you go closet diving through my things!"

"I've seen or washed most of your things, cherry blossom, including the 'special' things."

Inner Sakura quite agreed with him. He had seen all her lingerie by now, the very good and the very bad. Sadly, she crossed off that argument for the defense, leaving her with an old standby.

"I don't tell you what to wear, do I?! At least not to fulfill some perverted dress-up fantasy!" she tried to argue in spite of how enflamed her cheeks felt.

Kakashi smirked, "Oh really? I'll just throw out those jeans of mine then."

"No! Don't!" Sakura shrieked, nearly flailing. Her reaction made him chuckle darkly, caught red-handed in her own fib. She fumed at the noise, feeling rather foolish as she tried to break free again. The tips of his fingers lightly touched her folds through her clothing, distracting her from any thoughts of anger. Her hips arched up on their own, craving more while his hand moved away. The kunoichi sagged back down, groaning, "Tease."

"Don't you trust me?" he asked a very loaded question for her tormented state of mind. Did she trust the man who owned every volume of the Icha Icha series, and knew them by memory? Could she trust his taste in clothing and decency? And why did he want this in the first place? The request was so absurd. Where did he get this stuff from? Her mind was stuck on that question when he touched her again, not so gently this time as she cried out. The noises she made didn't stop and neither did his fingers. As long as he didn't stop this time, Sakura would have agreed to anything, well almost anything. "Yes or no?" Kakashi asked, firmly punctuating his points.

"Yes!" she screamed, hips moving with his hand, "Just don't stop!"

The silver-haired man grinned as he bent down, nibbling on her neck leisurely, "Now the second thing . . ."

Sakura groaned in pleasure and dread, turning away from his lips when he moved to kiss her, "Second thing . . ."

"I want you, for the next two hours, at least."

He just had to use that sexy voice didn't he? She nearly came at the sound of it and what he said. 'I want you.' Oh the magic those three words had in letting loose every inhibition she ever had. Two hours to waste with him were so tempting . . . till Inner Sakura held up a sign of how this whole mess started in the first place. A dog. Sasaki. Jounin Building. One Hour. She wanted to wail at the unfairness of it all. "I-!" she started to say before breaking off with a near screech, "I can't-! Need to leave, one hour, with the dog! With my clothes on!"

Kakashi chuckled, pulling away long enough to slide his hand down both her shorts and panties, "One hour now, two hours later tonight, after training."

"Training?! Tonight!?"

"Yes."

"And right now?!"

"I'll be quick."

She whimpered, "Better not be that quick . . ."

"Sakura, don't start what-." He lectured before being cut off.

"What you can't finish! Got it! Agreed! Now finish me!" Sakura yelled, half possessed and twisting under him.

The Copy nin grinned, yanking her clothing down sharply, "With pleasure."

* * *

The rain clouds over Konoha had cleared by to the time the sun started its descent. Puddles of water filled the small divots in the new stone pavement outside the newly rebuilt Jounin Building. Sasaki leaned on one of the large columns that rung the front of the structure, waiting. She'd been there for the past ten minutes, dressed in a fresh change of clothes that weren't soaked through from the rain. The longer she stood there, the more her thoughts turned over in her head. This was silly, childish, going to all this trouble for the sake of one man who obviously didn't want his privacy disturbed. Takeo had already made it quite clear that he wasn't interested in being her friend or otherwise, even if he didn't outright say it. Maybe this was too dangerous of ground to tread with him, given the rumors.

For a moment, she thought about leaving till a pink-haired figure rounded the corner with a small pug trotting beside her. Sighing, Sasaki stood up straight. Her smile was half-waned as they approached. Sakura beamed at her, even with the slight limp in her step, "Ready to go hunting?"

"Are you sure about this?" the purple-haired kunoichi asked, folding her hands behind her back, "Finding his place is one thing, getting him to leave for a night out is another. And you don't look like you're in any condition to be running after a dog."

"I pulled my hip," Sakura admitted with a slight blush.

"How? Training?"

"You honestly don't want to know the details . . ."

Sasaki's dark eyes widened a moment before she nodded blankly. Her mind could fill in all the details well enough to imagine what happened. She frowned, digging a hand into the satchel to find the underwear she had earlier absconded with. "I don't know. Doesn't it feel like we're, you know, stalking him?"

"I didn't just make two agreements with Kakashi for nothing. It isn't stalking, it's social rehabilitation, whether he wants it or not. If you want out, I'm still going on with this plan if only for my own curiosity after what you said today."

"You heard what Ino said. What if there's a good reason he tries to distance himself from people?" she asked, looking down, "I don't . . . I don't want to hurt him by being reckless and inconsiderate."

"Sasaki . . ."

"I'm being foolish, aren't I? He is a teammate after all . . . don't even know him well enough to guess how he'd react to us butting into his life."

Sakura sighed, frowning too, "I've dealt with two very difficult men in my life, both of whom tried to reject the rest of humanity. If Takeo is anything like either of them, then he needs our help, even if he may feel otherwise."

The purple-haired kunoichi paused, brewing over her words before saying, "You're very convincing, you know."

Her teammate smiled then turned with a nod to look down at the dog, "Alright, remember what we talked about on the way here, Pakkun?"

"No telling your mate, no asking why you need my assistance, no asking about what I . . . smell, understood. Those treats you promised for my silence had better be worth it. Yet, I am relieved that I am not running through half of the village looking for you . . . again," the pug grumbled till her hand reached down to scratch behind his ears. Sasaki barely stifled a giggle as his stubby tail wagged back and forth quite happily. "There's a good boy. Those treats will be worth every effort, promise," Sakura hummed with a wink.

"I like the fact that he picked you. You always were my favorite," Pakkun said with an affectionate nuzzle into her hand before turning back to business at hand, "The item?"

Slowly pulling her hand out of the satchel, Sasaki glanced around to make sure they weren't being watched before revealing Takeo's underwear. There was a curious yip from the pug as the dark grey material was lowered to his nose. His mud-colored eyes widened in surprise, "I assume these are not Kakashi's . . . no wonder you asked for secrecy."

Sakura tried not to blush as Pakkun's statement, "Can you get a scent from them?"

"More than I wish," the dog grumbled before pulling his nose away and sticking to the ground, "Faint, but much cleaner. Hummm, this man has good tastes, sandalwood, spice, and smoke."

Sasaki blinked at the pug's opinion, idly wondering if she'd ever get close to the enigmatic man to pick up the same scent. She blushed at the random thought, thankful that Sakura was too busy watching the small dog to notice. He padded in a small circle then in a straight line across the pavement, stopping to give a small bark before running towards the east. "He's got something," the pink-haired woman said, taking off after him.

Sasaki ran behind her, keeping pace as the dog wove through the streets. "Have to admit, those dogs are useful. How did ever convince Kakashi to let you borrow him?" she asked, the running not effecting her voice.

"Remember when I said not to ask how I pulled my hip?"

"Yeah?"

"That's how," Sakura said as Pakkun got further ahead of them. The purple-haired woman laughed in a huff that turned into a chuckle as the tiny pug rounded another corner. They followed and came to an abrupt stop outside one of Konoha's many bookstores where the dog pointed to with a furred paw, "Trail goes in there and leads out again."

"A bookstore? Maybe he ran errands before going home?" Sakura pondered before glancing over at Sasaki, "Do we go in?"

For a moment, she considered, tilting her head to the side. They could discover something about him that they wouldn't know otherwise. And at least it wasn't the type of place that sold Icha Icha either. She nodded once and headed for the shop door, leaving the other kunoichi and dog to catch up behind her. The store was small, painfully small for the amount of books that seemed to line ever nook and cranny, crammed onto racks and shelves. One counter sat to the immediate left of the door with an old man perched on a stool behind it. He didn't look up from the book in his hands, casually leaning on an antique brass register. Both women smirked to themselves, reminded of their captain and his obliviousness when it came to 'reading'.

Pakkun slipped between Sasaki's feet, nose pressed to the ground as he padded past a series of bookcases towards one in particular, "This one. He stood here a while."

"You've got to be kidding . . ." Sakura trailed off as she looked over the contents of the rack, "Fantasy books? He reads fantasy books?"

The purple-haired kunoichi was equally in shock yet kept it to herself. This was an unexpected turn, though one she sure didn't mind. She snorted in laughter a moment, grinning wirily, "He certainly isn't what he appears to be, is he?"

"Certainly not . . . it's almost cute though. Look at that one, 'Princess of the Seven Crowns'? Who writes this stuff?" Sakura asked as she picked up that particular book, thumbing the pages, "Why would he be interested in fantasy with how un-normal our lives are already?"

"Don't say that," Sasaki chided her, stealing the book from her hands to put it back on the shelf, "You can't tell me giant toads and talking dogs aren't the least bit normal given our chosen profession. Maybe it's an escape from life as we know it with something completely different."

"That's true . . . I wonder which ones he actually reads . . ." she mused, fingering the spine of another book. That was a question Sasaki had on her mind too given the wide selection. She crouched down by Pakkun, looking contemplatively over the books, "Think you can smell which ones he picked up?"

"I am a small, cute dog, not a mountain climber."

Sakura had stopped browsing long enough to listen to the conversation, "Could always pick you up, but you'll have to give us directions."

"I do not think that is such a good-!" before he could continue, the dog found himself being lifted off the floor by the pink-haired kunoichi, "Idea . . ."

Grumbling when she moved closer to the book case, Pakkun stopped when he picked up a scent right away, "Two over, to the left. That one."

Sasaki grabbed the book, looking over the colorful cover, "'The Sword of Divnar'? You sure?"

"Are you questioning the validity of my nose?"

She laughed nervously at the question, brushing her long hair away from her shoulder, "I wouldn't dream of it."

Holding onto the book, she watched as Sakura held the dog to the bookcase again. He barked directions at her when not keeping his nose on the task at hand. Each time he came across a book that was marked with the man's scent, Sasaki plucked it from the shelf. By the time they'd finished with the whole bookcase, a substantial stack rested in her arms, tottering precariously. "He must be quite a reader . . ." she groaned, trying not to drop them, "Can you tell which ones he held onto longer?"

"Oh, just put them down. And put me down while we are at it," Pakkun grumbled, wiggling in Sakura's arms. Doing as he said, they placed both the dog and the books on the floor. He pulled out a few books one by one after sniffing each again, trimming the stack of nearly thirty books down to just six. Sasaki looked at the books curiously, not finding a common theme among them as Sakura put the rest back. The only thing that stuck out was that three of them were by one author, Ishida Akira. "Maybe, he's one of his favorite authors," Sasaki pondered aloud, picking up all six books, "But why didn't he buy them?"

"Maybe he was, but decided against it and put them back?" Sakura hypothesized, cramming another book back.

"Hey! What are you ladies doing to my organization!? And get that midget dog out of here!" an anger voice yelled from behind them. Both women jumped while Pakkun growled, glaring at the old man who was almost hopping mad behind the counter. Sakura stuttered, pointing to the shelves, "Um, well, you see, we were just, uh, looking for a good read?"

The man didn't look like he believed her at all. Sasaki sighed, slumping slightly, "We're terribly sorry, sir. We're trying to find someone and he apparently came in here a short while ago . . . I don't suppose you'd know him?"

He frowned slightly, wrinkling his nose in distaste, "I should kick you out since those books are all out of order now, but . . . if you buy something . . ."

Sasaki walked over and put down all six books in front of him. The shopkeeper beamed at her, grinning ridiculously, "How may I help you, young lady?"

"The man I'm looking for is tall, just under six foot, lean build, has long blue-black hair that's braided or pulled back, dark blue eyes, fair skin, wears black framed glasses when reading, probably shabbily dressed, and extremely handsome," she rattled off as the old man thought a moment.

Sakura's eyebrow arched almost clear up to her hairline. "Glasses?" she muttered over Sasaki's shoulder.

The purple-haired kunoichi nodded emphatically, making the other woman giggle, "I'm surprised Kakashi doesn't have reading glasses by now, well, a monocle maybe . . ."

From behind the counter, the old man cleared his voice, "You two must be looking for my best customer, the fantasy geek. He was just in here half an hour ago, didn't pick up anything today, but didn't finish anything either."

"Finish anything?" Sasaki asked, curiosity in her voice.

"Yeah, he buys so much and so regularly that I let him read whatever he wants. Once he finishes a book and likes it, he always buys it anyway. He likes a lot of those types of books too, been doing it for years now I think. Other than that, I don't know a lot about him . . . except that he always buys the books of that Ishida guy. He had me back order his whole catalog first time he was in here and bought them all. No one else read them till he bought them, and as you can see, I can't keep them on the shelves long," the shopkeeper explained, looking down at the books on the counter, "He'll be upset someone else bought these before he could finish them . . ."

A cunning look crossed Sasaki's face as the man started to ring up all the books. When he named the price, she pulled out the right amount down to the change. Yet, before he could slip it off the counter top and into the register, she put down a hefty amount of paper bills on top. She leaned over the counter, whispering to the old man, "This is for keeping those three books out of stock for a while. When he asks who bought the last copies, make sure he knows who has them."

The grin on her face was absolutely wicked when she stood back up before turning into a radiant smile as she headed for the door. He shouted after her, "Pleasure doing business with you, lady! Come back again!"

Sakura and Pakkun trailed behind her before stopping in the middle of the street again. The drizzle of rain had stopped by the time they were outside, the sky changing colors as night approached. "Just what was that all about, Saki-chan? What have you done?" she asked, her head tilted to the side.

"Laid bait," she hummed.

"Bait?" Sakura questioned before realization dawned on her, "I knew it. You are starting to like him."

Sasaki sighed, "Please stop insisting that? I do not have a serious interest in him the way you think. I made my position absolutely clear today at lunch. Just friends, and that is the extent of it."

"How good of 'friends' are you talking about?"

The purple-haired woman gave an exasperated groan, rolling her eyes upwards, "Not that good of friends, Sakura-chan."

"We should get moving again while the trail is still there," Pakkun said, sitting between the two women. Not waiting for an answer from them, he got up and started sniffing the ground again before taking off. Left with little choice but to follow, they ran behind the dog, on the hunt once again.

* * *

"Ok, now this feels like we're stalking him," Sasaki said from her perch on the roof edge, crouched on the right of her friend with Pakkun lying down between them.

"We're not stalking him. We're observing him in his natural habitat," Sakura asserted with a nod.

Natural habitat indeed from what they had learned about him that day.

The late afternoon had turned into more of an adventure than she thought. And Takeo, it turned out, was more social than they thought . . . but only with shopkeepers. The man had wandered around on his way home in a rambling trail that seemed to take them from one side of the village to the other. After the bookstore, he'd gone to a specific tempura shop, avoiding the other two on the way that were closer. He had then gone a more than mile down the shopping district to one clothing store, east to the edge of Konoha's walls to an obscure writing supply store, and then south towards the mountain memorial to one small grocery store before going home, which was almost right across from the Jounin Building where they started. After following the trail to the exact apartment door and number, they left quickly to take up post on the next building over that gave an unobstructed view within . . . except for the parts of book cases that blocked the windows.

At each place they stopped, the story had been close to the same. Takeo came in regularly, didn't talk to the other customers, bought only a few items that never changed much, and was nice with the store owners, cashiers, and waitresses. He never left his name, and never made a scene. Aside from the few that recognized his habits, he was virtually invisible to everyone. It was odd to say the least. Then again, everything Sasaki learned about him seemed so quirky and odd. It left her with the conclusion that he was about the softest shinobi outside of missions she'd ever known. By nature, most ninja men were either distinctly testosterone-driven and battle-hardened, or more balanced with only have one unusual feature or hobby. Kakashi fit in the latter half perfectly. Hayate fit it too in his own way with the cough he could never suppress. But Takeo seemed to take that mold and shatter it completely.

Sakura smirked as they watched through his window, seeing him scribbling furiously in a black notebook. "He is more of a creature of habit than Naruto and his ramen, or Kakashi and his books, or Genma and his preoccupation with sex," she muttered out loud.

Sasaki laughed softly, hiding it behind her hand, "I was thinking about the same thing, but . . . it's rather cute, don't you think?"

"It's adorable, absolutely odd, but adorable nonetheless. For a while I thought Shino was the ultimate geeky shinobi with the bugs, but Takeo puts him to shame. To think a man that pretty is a complete and total nerd . . . Now I can see why you're tempted."

Rolling her dark eyes again, Sasaki let the innuendo slid right by, "I wonder what he's writing?"

"I'm curious too. I bet it's like those books you bought, all elves, and magic, and knights in shining armor, and princesses," Sakura said wistfully, yet the dreamy expression on her face was destroyed with a smirk, "I think I get the appeal a little, but so . . . geeky."

"Oh, yes, like Kakashi isn't any better with his dirty little novels."

"That's perverted stuff though, not geeky stuff . . . even if he can be a bit geeky about it. At least he doesn't attempt to out write Ero-sennin. Eh, go figure I suppose . . ." Sakura trailed off before seeing Pakkun next to her, out like a light after munching on his well deserved reward of dog biscuits. She sighed and looked over at Sasaki, or, more specifically, the woman's satchel, remembering the underwear that had started their little hunt. The thought of them made her curious, which wasn't necessarily a good thing, "So what are you going to do with that thing now that we don't need them anymore?"

"Do with what?"

"The underwear you stole. You're keeping them, right?"

"I hadn't really thought about that . . . yet."

Sakura giggled, "You should mount them on your wall, like a trophy of achievement."

She gawked at the woman, appalled by the idea, "Don't be absurd. Something so brazen is just begging for him to turn up one day and see them . . . Besides, what would I say to the framer?"

The pink-haired kunoichi nearly doubled over in laughter. Sasaki laughed as well at her own joke and the mental image in conjured. Sobering up, Sakura spouted out another idea, "What about washing and sending them back to him by post? Maybe include a small note saying 'thank you for their use' or something or other. Imagine how much that would freak him out."

"Now that's torture. You've been around Uzumaki-san too much for your own good."

"I'm easily influenced by the men in my life. It's a miracle I'm still me. But really what are you gonna do with them?"

"Toss them I suppose. It is evidence, so the sooner I get rid of it the better."

Sakura pouted, "Seems like a waste to me. You should keep them somehow, just as a memento."

"I should stuff them in the very back of my underwear drawer when I get home, never to see the light of day again," Sasaki joked, not even taking her own idea seriously till the words were out of her mouth. Hiding them there wasn't such a bad thing, then she could keep them, and he'd certainly never find them again. The answer seemed to satisfy Sakura as she went back to watching the apartment windows. He still hadn't gotten up from the cluttered desk, or even touched the cup of tea next to him. Watching him write was as exciting as watching grass grow, and rather disappointing after all their running around. "We should get going, before something exciting happens," Sakura said sarcastically, "Like a shower or something."

"He already took one shower. I doubt he'd remove that baggy shirt of his, let alone the pants a second time," Sasaki muttered then blushing as she realized her mistake, "Um, not that I've seen him take his clothes off or anything. What kind of woman do you take me for?"

She cackled, pointing an accusing finger at her friend, "I knew it! That's how you got them isn't it?!"

"What? Got what?"

"His underwear!"

"Not so loud, Sakura!"

"Oh come on, it's as clear as day on your face! You snuck into the ANBU men's locker and took his underwear while he was in the shower!"

". . . I have no idea what you're talking about . . ."

Despite the denial, the younger woman smirked. That was as much of a confirmation of the truth as she needed. Sasaki got up before she was interrogated again, walking on the edge of the roof as if it were a wide avenue then jumping down to street level. Sakura scrambled after her, scooping the dozing dog in her path. The other kunoichi stood the side once she landed back on the ground, waiting, "I still don't know how you intend to convince him to go to the bar on Friday. He doesn't look like the type that likes social gatherings of any kind."

Smiling, the pink-haired woman started to down the small path they landed on, "Oh, he'll come alright, even if I have to drag him there myself, which I may have to do. But . . . I'll have to gift-wrap him for you, which will take a lot of work . . ."

"Gift-wrap!? Sakura?!" Sasaki yelled, scandalized as she ran to catch up, "You can't do that to him!"

Sakura giggled, "I meant that he needs clothes. He can't show up like that. He'll be the laughing stock of the bar. Where was your mind just then?"

"You don't want to know . . . nothing too flashy or too immodest. I don't think he'd like the attention."

"I'll do my best!"

Sasaki smiled, "I probably owe you a lot for this. How can I ever repay you?"

"Wednesdays, lunch at noon in the dango shop we saw you in today, for the immediate future, which also means forever," Sakura winked.

Groaning at the entrapment, she rolled her eyes, "Alright, we have a deal."

"And you have to tell us all the latest gossip about Takeo!"

Sasaki chuckled, "Too late, deal's made."

Rolling her eyes, Sakura didn't notice the pug in her arms at all till he nipped on her finger, "Ow! What'd you do that for?"

"Please put me down? Preferably before I toss up my doggy treats?"

Pakkun groaned as she placed him on the path stopping to sit and scratch his ear before looking at the women. He sniffed once then started to trot off, "My work here is done. I have been rewarded properly, and shall leave you both to your own demises. Good day, ladies, and stay out of trouble?"

Without any further goodbyes, the dog disappeared in puff of smoke. Sasaki smirked, "You know, for a talking dog, you'd think Kakashi would teach him to mind his manners."

"At least he's house broken," Sakura shrugged, "You know, I'm still curious why you bought those books, even if you said it was for bait. Research?"

"Maybe . . ." she trailed off, wishing her teammate wouldn't start that conversation again, "It has to be more readable than Icha Icha."

"You know I've read it . . ."

Sasaki did a double-take then snorted in laughter, "He is corrupting you. Before you know it, you'll be reading that stuff in public too."

"Oh no, I'll never go that far, but . . ."

"But what?"

"But you're older than me, you've been in a committed relationship before, so you know what it's like to want someone in that way, and wanting to do anything for them like . . ." Sakura started to say till she realized her mistake, "I'm sorry, if you don't want to talk about it."

Pain seemed to strike through her dark eyes a moment before fading into a sad look and smile. "It's alright," Sasaki said, her pace slowing down, "It's just been a while . . . I'm not afraid, but it's been a while for me . . . we are talking about the same thing right?"

The pink-haired woman blushed slightly, "Yeah, that."

"Problems at home?"

"Not really unless you count overabundance as a problem. I'm more curious about you, if you've ever, you know, looked-at-something-like-Icha-Icha-Paradise?"

Sasaki blinked at the question. Was she asking if she ever read porn? Her friend's blush only deepened as the silence continued. Kami-sama, she was asking if she ever read porn! The kunoichi stammered out an answer, blushing faintly, "Of course not. What kind of woman do you take me for?"

It took all of Sakura's willpower to keep from laughing out loud at her reaction, almost an identical denial from earlier. Obviously porn was one topic that could revert the older, mature lady back into a blushing genin, even amongst other women. "It's alright. You don't have to explain anymore," she said with a sincere smile, "But . . . how long has it been since you slept with a man?"

The question didn't shock her as much as the last one, but it made her stop and think. After Hayate's death, she hadn't taken anyone to her bed since, and that was about . . . "Twelve years ago . . ."

There was a somberness to Sasaki's voice that made Sakura's hopeful smile fade. When she opened her mouth to apologize, her teammate waved her off, continuing instead, "It's alright. It doesn't matter. I don't need sex to exist, and I don't miss it. Just having . . . love for whatever brief time we had was enough for a single lifetime I think. You can't capture lightening in a bottle more than once."

When she finished, Sakura couldn't help herself, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder and squeezing, "You'll find it again, I'm sure."

Looking at her friend's hopeful smile brought a slight bitterness into Sasaki's mind. Of course the pink-haired shinobi could say that; she had someone at home waiting for her. When she returned home, all she'd have waiting for her would be another instant dinner and canvas upon canvas. Suddenly, she didn't feel like painting tonight. And yet, the glow in Sakura's smile tugged at her heart. What if she was right and her own theories on love were wrong? Could love be more than a once in a lifetime thing like she always assumed? Sasaki didn't know, but it didn't stop what little hope was left in her heart from bursting in joy. What has Sakura said before? Live for the dead? Was loving again a part of that idea? Her chest tightened at the thought.

And it felt alright again.

Sasaki smiled back, "Thank you, Sakura-chan, for believing that. But it won't happen . . . at least, not yet."

She beamed despite the slight pessimism in her friend's words, holding her head a little higher as they walked together down the street, "Someone has to hold out on hope. We can't be despondent, sour-faced, serious ninjas all the time."

The purple-haired kunoichi laughed loudly, not noticing the hand seals of her friend till a swirl of cherry blossoms took flight around her. Despite disappearing, she could still hear Sakura's teasing voice, "See you in two days, Saki-chan!"

Alone on the street, she still laughed, but softer, and shook her head, "You better not ever change, Sakura-chan, or a lot of people will be very disappointed."

* * *

To Be Continued in Lesson 08 of The Way of the Sword, Much Ado About Takeo. 


	9. Much Ado About Takeo

The Way of the Sword

A Naruto fanfiction, By Serenanna

Lesson 08 – Much Ado About Takeo

Warnings and Disclaimers: I don't own Naruto or any of the characters. I'm just borrowing them to play with. I'll return them later, promise. There is adult content, and sexual situations in this story involving sharp, pointy objects. So, if you're under 18, leave now before your virgin eyes are scarred forever, if you're over 18, enjoy!

Story Notes: This is a Kakashi/Sakura fic, while other pairings may come and go. This story is a continuation of Ronsmyhero's Respect and Understanding. Reading that fic is a good idea in order to understand this one as there will be references from it. It was with her knowledge and stamp of approval . . . but I've since lost contact with her (Ronsmyhero, if you're reading this, e-mail me!). Mulling my options, I am going to continue as planned starting with this chapter.

In case she ever makes her own sequel, this is an AU take. I know a fanfic of a fanfic probably isn't a good idea, but I'm giving it a whirl. Ronsmyhero, this is in honor of you.

All warnings and such still apply! Refer to other chapters for full notes.

* * *

Sakura's head hit the pillow with a groan that was decidedly not one of pleasure. One hour of napping was all she needed to be ready to take on the rest of the world again, but somehow she didn't think Kakashi would allow her that much. After their lax in training prior to Tuesday, the bastard decided to step up his little lessons into almost day and night long sessions. He also expanded it beyond just sword fighting as well. Her taijutsu wasn't shabby at all, but he still made her train it anyway because of her slow reaction time when attacked. Instincts he'd called it, intuition. Women were supposed to be good at that, he had said, before blindfolding her two nights ago. She smiled slightly in remembering that night, snuggling the pillow.

Blind-fighting he had called it, but the straight taijutsu match turned into something more like blind-groping after about five minutes later. At least the next night when they tried it again, she had held out for at least half an hour before being grappled to the dirt. And afterwards? Well, that was the reason her smile went from ear to ear. Despite the continued distractions, the lesson had paid off well enough that day when she managed to keep up with Kakashi's attacks better than before. He still managed to wipe the floor with her though, removing the smile from her face as she nearly smothered herself in the feathers, "I'm a medic nin, not a fighter."

"That's not true, and you know it. Everyone fights," Kakashi said from behind her, "And you're improving."

She blinked a moment, almost thinking that her head had made up the compliment till he added, "But you still need lots of training."

Sakura groaned, intent to drown out any other lecture coming her way. He moved around the room as if she wasn't there, going through drawers and the closet. Damn him for being so full of stamina. He could have at least acted like he was tired after five hours of training that day. Sakura snarled, but didn't move from the bed, "I know that, but a little respite would be nice."

"You're getting a break tonight involving alcohol. What more do you need?"

"One day in bed with you, naked, and no Icha Icha, then I'll be fine."

Kakashi smirked, knowing she was just joking for his benefit. If that were to happen, it would be for cuddling and ogling purposes only, and not sex. Not that he would mind that too much. "If I make breakfast tomorrow, will you go back to training that afternoon without complaint?" he offered, standing by the side of the bed.

She turned to look up at him, getting an eyeful of the ANBU uniform he still wore with fresh clothes in hand. Slowly, she turned on her side to silently watch him while seeming to still be deciding on an answer. Sakura had one already in mind, but stalled for time just look at him before he disappeared into the shower. Kakashi sighed, sounding frustrated, and she finally spoke, "Alright, but no overdoing it tonight."

"I have a feeling I'll be too preoccupied anyway to really drink," he said with a smirk under the mask before dropping the clothes on the bed. She giggled, still watching as he turned to strip off the armor and long gloves, "With me, or the insane bunch you call friends?"

"Like the Yamanaka girl, Gai's clone, or our beloved loudmouth aren't any better?"

"You have to admit that some of them are a bit . . . 'touched' in the head."

Kakashi paused in un-strapping his short sword and vest to consider her words. Ok, so some of his circle of friends were a bit weird even by Konoha's standards, but at least they were mentally stable, except for his self-imposed rival perhaps. If he agreed with her, his response didn't reflect it, ". . . Duly noted."

He tossed the white vest down on the growing pile of discarded items then started to peel off his black shirt before stopped, the material clinging halfway up his chest, "I'm just a little worried about tonight since it seems most of them are going to be there."

"Oh?"

"Yes, Genma, Raidou, Gai, Asuma, Anko, and Kurenai, along with us. I don't know if Anko will drag Iruka-san along too . . . it'll be trouble if she does."

"Really? Genma and Gai taking it that bad?"

"Gai, somewhat, Genma . . . I have no idea if the woman wounded his pride, his heart, which I doubt he had to begin with, or if she hit him somewhere below the belt. Whenever someone mentions her anymore, he flinches and grumbles. Whatever she did to him, I don't think I want to know but we may find out anyway once they start drinking," Kakashi said, finally pulling the shirt over his head and tossing it.

Sakura couldn't help but smile, wondering exactly what the trench coat wearing maneater had done this time to her latest victim. Tentacle-hands Genma probably deserved it though. Maybe the karma would end once he learned to keep his hands to himself. Slowly, her smile died down though as she remembered that she still had a secondary mission tonight, Takeo. How was she ever going to break this to Kakashi without igniting the minefield that was his possessiveness of her? Ok, so maybe it wasn't so bad. He did trust her on her own, but this was different. If she was going to spend an hour or so in another man's place, and then show up in a highly watched bar with said man without giving her significant other any warning, it was asking for a bloodbath to happen. "Kakashi?" she asked as he sat down on the bed, hunched over to remove his sandals and foot bindings.

He grunted a response, and she continued, "I need to tell you something, please let me say it all because it's important?"

The silver-haired man stopped, turning slightly to look over his shoulder before abruptly facing straight ahead again, "Talk."

"Sasaki invited Takeo to join us tonight."

"Oh," he said blandly while internally sighing in relief. For a moment, he had thought it was something 'really' important.

"The problem is though that he's a lot . . . shier than we all thought. He isn't going to willingly step out of his apartment without something forcing him . . . I was going to go over there with Ino-Pig and apply said force."

Kakashi's eyebrows shot up even if she couldn't see it, "Why?"

"He is our teammate, and your subordinate, yet I barely know him. You've admitted that you barely know him. I think I've said all of five words in his company since rejoining Dragon Team."

"I've never had drinks with those under my command before, sort of friends or not. I'm not about to start now."

"That was because you were too intimidating to drink with before, with all that scary seriousness. Now? Not so much."

"And who's fault is that?"

"Yours for letting me onto Dragon Team in the first place where I could reveal all my little stories about you and the lateness, or the time you nearly dumped a table of food on Naruto, or when you got a nosebleed watching a sword fight, or how you go horribly geeky every time a new edition of Icha Icha comes out, or how about the time you-."

"Your point is made, vividly . . . I knew ANBU was a bad idea for you . . ." he groused, going back to unwrapping his feet, till she struck his shoulder lightly in revenge, "I can still be intimidating . . . when I want to be."

Sakura giggled, forgiving the comment and wiggling across the bed to wrap her arms over the back of his waist. Kakashi frowned, ". . . I don't like this idea. If he's that dead set against socializing, he shouldn't be forced."

"It's for his own good, anyway, and Saki-chan's. She's smitten with him, I can tell."

The hairs on the back of the Copy nin's neck rose in warning. Oh, this was bad, very bad. He'd seen it too during the few months the three of them had worked together previously, but it only looked like lust in Saki's eyes and the pair had maintained a professional distance. The little talk he had with the kunoichi had been in hopes that maybe she'd sleep with the sai-wielder to release some sexual tension, not attempt to form a lasting, but ultimately doomed, relationship. Then again, he tried that himself for one night with Sakura and was he ever wrong. He didn't regret it, but if he could spare his other teammates such a fiasco . . .

And yet, no matter what part Sakura decided to play in screwing up his team, Kakashi knew he had absolutely no room to talk . . . wouldn't stop him from trying though. Why did it seem that no matter how much he believed in anti-fraternization on the job, such dangers still seemed to bit him in the ass? "Are you sure?"

"She denies it, says she just wants to be his friend. But if her head doesn't get turned tonight, completely, it never will," Sakura said with idle confidence, and he could just imagine her examining her nails behind his back as she said that. It sounded more like his beloved was playing matchmaker. Kakashi bit down a groan and shook his head. No good would come of this night, that was certain. "So, let me get this straight then. You're going to Takeo's home, will attempt to rope him somehow into going out drinking, and meet me there then?" he asked flatly.

"Yup, just don't be too surprised or jealous when I show up with him? And it'll take me a while since Pig and I need to get him ready."

He blinked, "Ready?"

"It's a long story."

It was that point Kakashi figured the story was meant to be left untold, "What did I tell you about springing surprises on me? Especially ones you know I won't like."

"It was all Saki-chan's idea."

"And you're just going along with it?"

"I like to think of it as helping a friend in need."

"Sakura . . ." there was an annoyed tone on the edge of his voice, threatening to spill over into disappointment. She sighed, trying not to roll her eyes at him. This wasn't the way to start the rest of their night. "Kakashi, I'm sorry. I know I should have told you earlier, but would you rather I didn't tell you upfront at all?" she asked, gloved hands stroking his back.

"No, this way I have ample time get used to the idea. If your scheming backfires . . ." he warned her, glancing over his shoulder. Sakura smiled back at him, wrapping her arms over his waist instead. She nuzzled him like a large, highly pleased cat, a purr of contentment in her voice, "You can claim all plausible deniability."

If only. Somehow he doubted he'd get away that cleanly if the mess he kept imagining came to fruition. Shaking his head, Kakashi stood up from the bed and dropped his pants and underwear in one shot, leaving them behind as he walking into the bathroom. Sakura's gaze and head followed, green eyes plastered on his rear end. Her inner self watched too, drooling at the walking temptation in spite of her exhaustion. He closed the door behind him, ending the show as she rolled over.

Grabbing the little black alarm clock by the bed that they rarly used, she set a time for an hour nap, and remembered to switch it on unlike other times in the past. Maybe he had a point. This couldn't end good, could it? She still didn't have a clear idea on how she was even going to lure him out of his habitat. And yet, there was a feeling of rightness in her gut telling her that this was the way it should be, supporting her teammates by any means necessary. Inner Sakura reminded her of how it was his own fault anyway. Kakashi had pushed her to develop that intuition of hers into combat instincts, and that same intuition was telling her those two were meant for each other . . . even if they didn't know it. Irony, it seemed, had a funny way of getting results.

* * *

After the alarm went off, Sakura found herself surprisingly alone in the whole apartment. There was no sign of her lover anywhere except for the used towels and discarded clothes. The surprises in store for her didn't end there though. Wandering back to the bed and peeling off her uniform and weapons as she went, her eyes caught sight of a note left on their dresser. It was Kakashi's handwriting alright, a little more mature than Naruto's childish scribble, no where near as refined as her script, and with a slightly blocky look that was all his own. Like everything else he did, it was short and to the point as she read it aloud, "Went ahead. Dress is in the closet on the door, underwear in the top drawer. Didn't think I'd forget, did you? Two hours before I send Pakkun. Don't be late. Kakashi."

He even took the time to sketch a quick rendition of his happy face. The image wasn't as reassuring to her as he might have liked, "How did I get myself into again?"

Sakura eyed the closet with trepidation. Their little arrangement over her choice of clothing that night suddenly loomed before her, coiled like a striking snake ready to spring loose. And he complained about not liking surprises. She groaned wearily. Really, how bad could it be? Inner Sakura argued it could be pretty bad.

There was that one skimpy red dress Ino forced upon her when she was still on hospital duty and dateless. There was also that frilly purple gown Naruto handed to her as a joke when she learned Hinata wanted her to serve at one of the bridesmaids in her wedding. After finding out that the service would be all in kimono, she nearly beat the blond miscreant with the offending dress. The one from Ino's wedding half a year ago though was even worse, and it wasn't a joke. No matter how many times her lover had said she looked fine and wasn't fat that day, she still hated it. Instead of bows and ribbons, Pig had wanted them all to be trussed up with flowers. Flowers! Big ones, plastered all over the tail end of the dress till she looked like an overgrown garden. It must have amused the silver-haired ninja all day to watch the petals sway back and forth with each step she took. Her fellow kunoichi should be grateful that she never insisted upon Kakashi marrying her, big wedding and all, because otherwise they'd have to wear similar crimes to fashion that were bridesmaids' dresses for her big day.

Well, maybe they weren't all bad. The one Tenten came up with was gorgeous and worth keeping. It was a wrapped sheath of jade green silk brocade threaded with shades of the same hue and gold in a pattern of overlapping tree branches. The fabric gave the perfect illusion of staring up into the sun through a canopy of leaves, a marvel to look at when fitting to the body. The cut reminded her of the red and white dress she wore as a genin, high collar, short sleeves, and a slim, straight skirt. Black buttons and frogs held the dress closed down the right side before stopping at the mid-thigh to hang open in a slit. Matching ebony trim bound all the hems with a geometric pattern embroidered into the borders with gold thread.

Sakura smiled as she remembered that dress. Unlike the one for Ino's wedding, when she knew his compliments had been forced for the sake of her self-esteem, the look in Kakashi's eye when she appeared alone before the bride's arrival was enough to make her feel beautiful, even if he meant every compliment as well.

Maybe his taste wasn't as bad as she thought.

Summoning up her courage, Sakura went over to the closet door and opened it, beaming as her eyes fell on the exact green dress she had been thinking about. A little note pinned to the collar read 'Wear Me' including another humorous little sketch of Kakashi nodding in approval. "Oh, I could kiss you right now, you wonderful man!" she exclaimed to no one but herself as she pulled the long, thin dress from the hanger and laid it out.

The night and the devil's bargain Sakura had made was suddenly a lot easier to stomach than she thought. Turning around, she found a pair of black heeled sandals just inside the door with a similar note. Feeling rather good about the rest of the night, the kunoichi fairly skipped over to her underwear drawer in the dresser, happy as could be.

Until the smile was wiped from her face once she saw his choice in lingerie, or rather the lack there of.

"I'll kill him . . ."

* * *

Ino tapped her foot on the ground outside the building, ignoring the slight kick inside her stomach and weight of the satchel slung over her shoulder. Sakura was late again, the sun an hour away from setting. She should have realized sooner that her friend would always and forever now be running on Kakashi's time, which was at least fifteen minutes to three hours late for anything and everything. It was part of why she put the time two hours ahead on the wedding notices she sent to the pair. They still only showed up by the skin of their teeth. Groaning, the blonde was half tempted to slowly walk over to one of the benches and have a seat when she heard sandals clicking on the stones behind her.

Turning around, Akimichi-Yamanaka Ino's jaw dropped as she watched her friend walk across the street, looking at once radiant and mad as hell. Keeping the grin off her face was hard at petulant frown plastered all over Sakura's beautiful features. "Dressed to kill, but you look like you'd rather kill someone . . ." she mused aloud, "Does your intended victim have wild silver hair, a face mask, and an annoying orange book plastered to his hands?"

"Don't tempt me right now, Pig. When I see that man again, I will make him very, very sorry . . . maybe, I'm still deciding," Sakura said as her scowl softened into a pout. She shouldered a small pack slung over her back, crossing her arms over the front of the dress, "I can't believe I let him talk me into this . . ."

"Talk you into what?" Ino asked, her curiosity peaked even if she was still admiring the green dress. She remembered it alright, a similar style dress but in dark purple hanging in her own closet. Tenten did have good taste in clothes, "What's the occasion anyway? It certainly isn't for who we're visiting."

"I'll tell you later if I can make it through the night, and no occasion, unless you count my significant other's drinking buddies. Did you bring everything?" Sakura eyed the satchel on the blonde's shoulder. Ino nodded, patting the contents almost lovingly. "Everything needed to remake just about anything he has in his closet," she said with a beaming grin, "I can't believe you took me seriously in letting me help with this. I'm still getting over the story you told me yesterday when you barged into my shop after your training. He's really that bad?"

Sakura nodded, and her friend rambled on anyway as they headed to the doorway of the apartment building, "I can't believe we're actually going up there too, reminds me of the old days, like the time we barged into Naruto's apartment before his first date with Hinata. He was a wreck. Oh, is this going to be a story to tell on Wednesday."

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Ino-Pig. Stick to the mission plan."

"Right, I got the clothes. You got the hygiene. If he's as crummy as you say, I don't envy you. The things you do for 'mutual friends'."

Trying not to sigh at her friend's prattling, she climbed up the steps, giving the pregnant woman time to tackle them herself at a slower pace. Soon enough, Sakura led the way down a hallway, stopping at the last door before a bend to the left into another wing of the building. "This is it, 138," the pink-haired woman said before taking a deep breath before raising her hand.

The knock resounded on the wooden door.

"Go away," said an annoyed male voice on the other side of the door. Both women smirked. "Anti-social, huh?" Ino quipped, crossing her arms over her stomach.

Sakura knocked again, louder this time, and they both heard shuffling from the other side. "Go away! No solicitations accepted! No visitors! No house calls!"

Now he was just being difficult. Her frustration growing, the kunoichi's small but powerful fist pounded on the door, rattling Ino's nerves as much as the door frame, "Open up, Takeo!"

There was the distinct crash of a body hitting the floor on the other side as soon as she stopped knocking. The sound was followed by the shuffling of bare feet on wood planks, the scrape of furniture moving, and occasional cursing. It was taking him a while as Sakura casually leaned on the side of the door. Just when she thought he wouldn't answer, the portal was yanked wide open, a highly startled man on the other side gawking at her, "S-s-s-Sakura-chan?"

It must have been the dress as his sapphire eyes were as wide as saucers behind the black glasses, jaw moving up and down on its own. The pink-haired kunoichi grinned and stood up straight again, tucking a wayward lock behind her ear, "This dress isn't for you."

Before Sakura could explain, Ino butted her way beside her in the doorway, waving energetically, "Hi!"

"Um, hello?" the sight of the pregnant blonde seemed to sober up the look on Takeo's face that he scowled instead, already on the defensive, "Can I help you ladies? And who are you?"

Ignoring his question completely, Ino's eyes roamed up and down the tall man, taking in the glasses, the long blue-black hair loosely plaited in the back with a frizz to it, and the baggy sweats of washed-out black and navy that had faded to dark grey and light indigo. Sakura was too busy noticing the changes too. While in uniform, she would have sworn that he was drop-dead gorgeous, but now looking at him in his natural environment, he only looked cute, maybe not even cute with the scowl. If he'd been right in front of her face on a street, she wouldn't have even noticed him. "Wow . . . like day to night," Ino muttered lowly, her head tilted to the side, "You and Sasaki weren't kidding. And he's the one? Wow . . . she was right. He looks so harmless. You were right too. He kind of looks like-."

He looked like Sasuke, but with blue eyes, and if he had smiled at all. She had thought that the first time meeting Takeo too.

"Don't even say it, Pig."

He blinked, looking back and forth between them, "Sakura? What's the meaning of this? What did Sasaki tell you? No offense, but who is this woman? Why are you here? How did you even find where I live? . . . Wait, I think I know the answer to the last one . . ."

"Um, I think it would be best if we came inside for this discussion, if you'd please?" she asked, smiling hopefully. Almost reluctantly, he relinquished his hold on the door, allowing them to enter. Not wasting a moment, Ino barged right in, breezing past the very confused looking man to take in the surroundings. His living environment seemed to fit the package. Bookcases lined the walls, each one filled with books. They overflowed onto the floor in stacks followed by notebook upon notebook and boxes of pages, some typed, some marked in red ink, some scribbled by hand.

In the center of the mess was a crowded desk flanked by more stacks of paper-filled boxes. An ancient looking typewriter was shoved underneath while more paper, books, and pens littered the surface. Even the couch behind the desk was covered in stacks of paper, bringing a look of trepidation to Ino's face when she wandered over there to sit down. "Think I'll get a paper cut if I have a seat?" she asked, grinning widely.

Takeo sprung into action, seemingly forgetting the intrusion for the moment while shoving the papers aside, "Uh, sorry. I've been trying to get this done for weeks now, and I was close to the end when you knocked, at least I think it's an end. I never know for sure. I don't know why I bother. The last two haven't come out right, and I don't know what happened, and-, um . . . am I rambling?"

From the grins on the faces of both women, it was enough indication that he was indeed rambling, "I'm sorry. I get carried away sometimes . . . You still haven't answered my questions . . ."

"Well, you see . . ." Sakura started to say as she moved around to sit next to her friend without knocking over any of the precariously placed stacks, "It looks like you need a break."

The dark-haired man snorted in laughter, "What are you talking about? This is my break."

"I don't think the paper fetish is healthy though. I mean, this is worse than Kakashi-san, and everyone knows about his bibliophile tendencies and how warped that can be."

"Ino!" Sakura squawked, turning bright red, "I can't believe you just said that! He is not warped and you're digressing!"

Takeo's eyes went back and forth between the two women again, barely holding back the chuckles as he sat down on one stack of boxes off to the side, "So your name is Ino-san? That answers one question at least."

"Akimichi-Yamanaka Ino, pleased to meet you, Kimura-san," the blonde said with a bright smile, ignoring the scowling of her blushing companion. A look of fear crossed Takeo's face in spite of pleasant greeting. "Y-y-y-Yamanaka?" he asked breathlessly, "Oh shit . . ."

Ino blinked, "What?"

"Can you keep this little meeting to yourself? And about what you've seen? I . . . I know about the talk about me, and I know most of it passes through the Yamanaka shop. I'd prefer it if none of this got out . . ."

Sakura blinked as well, "You know about Pig and the rumor mongering? I thought you didn't get out much?"

Takeo frowned, crossing his arms over his chest, "I don't but it was kind of hard to miss when I was younger. It is better this way, being an enigma, which is why I don't bother confirming or denying anything anyone says about me. I just know the rumors are still persistent."

"I'll keep my mouth shut about this, Kimura-san, but you have to hear us out first."

He nodded as Sakura spoke up, "Saki-chan told us that she invited you out for drinks with myself and Kakashi tonight, and that you accept before starting to pull away. Obviously, you've either forgotten, or had no intention of going in the first place."

A look of guilt flashed across his face, lips pressed into a thin line, "I'm sorry. I lied to her. I have no intention of going anywhere tonight. I am sorry for wasting your time."

Takeo looked down, fidgeting on his seat on the boxes while trying not to see the stunned disbelief on the faces of the two women. While they'd expected resistance, his admission of lying was a bit . . . cold, and sudden. Green eyes narrowing on the man, she knew there was something else off about what he said. The words came out too easily along with the guilt. He was hiding something. Her inner self picked up on that thought, taking it further with the realization that he was hiding the fact that he said yes to Sasaki because he wanted to. He did like her, but was chickening out. That had to be the reason, she was sure of it. "Why don't I believe that?" Sakura asked, the timber in her voice rising, "Why would you agree in the first place?"

"Because I didn't want to hurt Saki's feelings. She caught me off-guard that day, much like you are now. I really do have things I should be doing instead."

"Oh, like back peddling now isn't going to hurt her feelings any less? It's one night. It's not going to kill you. Why are you making such a big deal of this?"

"Why are you? Why should you care so much what I do or don't do?" he glared at the pink-haired woman before looking away, "You have no right to ask anything of me since you don't know me."

"Isn't that some of the point in asking you to come out of this hidey-hole? What are you afraid of? She just wants to be your friend. I want to be your friend. We want to be your friends. Is that too much to ask?"

Anger flashed across Takeo's dark blue eyes, "It is too much to ask of me. You don't know me at all, Sakura-chan, none of you do, so don't presume as much. We're just 'mutual friends', and that's it. I would like to leave it as such if you don't mind."

Ino glanced over at her friend in time to see anger pass through her green eyes. She wasn't all that surprised at the rise in temper, the feeling growing in her as well while sitting there throughout the argument. Men are so frustrating sometimes. What did Takeo need to understand? For it to be spelled out for him in bright red ink like all the pages littered around them? The boiling anger in Sakura was replaced quickly though with a barely-held front of cold civility as she rose from the couch, "Pig, excuse me a moment please. I need to have these words with Kimura-san in private."

"No excuse needed, Forehead, just be gentle," she said with an amused smirk. Without warning, the pink-haired kunoichi lunged forward to snag the man's wrist, tugging him towards a nearby door. He was pried off his seat much too easily for being bigger than the petite woman, almost yelping in surprise as he almost flew into her. Once Takeo was on his feet though, he followed her, oblivious to the grip on his wrist till it was gone and the door slammed shut behind them.

Of all the places to choose in his little apartment for their talk, she picked his bedroom not that she noticed too much. It looked like the rest of the place, cramped, cluttered, and piled with more books and papers among the dirty clothes. Sakura was much too angry to notice much else, growling a response, "I do mind, very much. We're teammates, which necessitates a certain amount of trust. The life of the man I love, my own life, and Saki's could potentially be in your hands one day. I would imagine this lesson has been ground into you before, but saying we're all 'just' teammates so casually doesn't make me trust you any more than I could toss you through that wall."

Takeo stood with his back to her, hunched over. She could see the flinch in his shoulders, and knew that perhaps she's been a little too blunt in her anger. Sighing, Sakura sagged back against the door, kicking it lightly with the back of her heel, "I'm sorry if this seems selfish of me to ask of you, but . . . I don't believe for a moment that you're this uncaring about your teammates. No one can be like that without being a block of ice. If you were, then you never would have said yes to her in the first place, or let me barge into your personal space. I'm not asking for you to sacrifice your life for us right now, just one night of your sobriety, is that too much to ask for? I'm not even the one that even asked you in the first place, Sasaki did. You should really be thinking of her."

He flinched again, sounding pained, "You don't know what you're asking for because you don't know me. Sasaki doesn't know either. You're both meddling in things that would be better left alone. I am a shinobi. I know the value of trusting my teammates to do their job. I know the choices I make will never be easy. I know these things. What I don't understand is why you both even care."

"And I don't understand why you don't."

"I won't answer that . . ."

"You don't have to. If I knew you'd be this shut off already, I wouldn't have bothered. But Sasaki saw something in you when, as you said, you were caught off-guard. She finds you worth the effort . . ."

Takeo flinched once more, harder than before, as if she'd just cuffed him on the back of the head like she'd done to Naruto so often. And yet Sakura stood across the room, waiting for an answer. "Why would she think something like that?" he asked suddenly, sounding surprised, "I'm not worth it."

Despite herself, she snorted in giggles, grinning while shaking her head, "Men never change. Always the same excuses. Is it really that hard to believe? When a woman thinks you're worth the effort, usually we're right. You'd be better off just giving in now and accepting that fact."

"Do I want to know how you learned this invaluable lesson?" Takeo asked with a sarcastic edge to his voice. The tone didn't faze Sakura at all, smiling again even if it was to his back. "Maybe some other time I'll tell you, or maybe even tonight, that is if you're going . . ." she trailed off with a curious lilt.

"You don't know me . . ."

"So?"

"I really mean it. This isn't going to go as well as you'd like to think. None of you know what it's been like for me . . ."

"Will you tell me what it's been like then? Some time tonight?"

"No."

"Eventually?"

"Maybe . . ."

"Then why does it matter? No matter what anyone says, you'll still have us. That is one of the tenets of being friends and not just teammates, isn't it?"

Takeo snorted, "You don't give up, do you?"

"Never," Sakura said cheerfully.

He sighed, "Why?"

"Why not?"

Takeo chuckled bitterly, and turned around to see the smile on the pink-haired woman's face. The expression on his face was one of consideration, looking into her green eyes like he was looking for something, but she wasn't moved at all. He could see that there was something about Sakura that was different than the two absent members of Dragon team, something more vibrant. If he had to place a finger on it, the emotion she exuded could only be one thing, hope. It took hold and spread under his skin like an infection the more he looked at her, shouting exuberantly in his head that he should listen to her.

Maybe she was right. Why not? Why not just screw it all and try just once? Maybe life outside his apartment and job wasn't as hopeless as he always thought. And if he failed, again, there was the usual way out. Maybe this time would be different.

Still, she didn't know him at all, none of them did. If even had an inkling of what his life was . . . he didn't know what they'd do.

Yet, he still felt the tug of something at the mention of Sasaki. The image of the purple-haired kunoichi snapped into his head. She was the root of all this fuss over him. Was this all her idea?

He doubted it.

No, he imagined that all she did was voice her concerns to the woman in front of him to set the wheels of entrapment into motion. Women . . . What must Sasaki have said to Sakura to make her this maniacal in her machinations? Takeo could only imagine till his slowly growing hope kicked in. Could it be that the woman that plagued him had revealed something more than just wishing to innocently converse over drinks?

Now there was something to hope for even if it made him feel foolish for hoping for so much. No, she couldn't feel like that. Sakura had said Sasaki just wanted to be friends. She'd even admitted herself to wanting to know him better. And yet, the purple-haired woman's dark eyes still held their usual half-dead, half-surviving expression the day before last. Could she have meant that even if her heart wasn't there? Then again, where was his heart as well? He did just want to be her friend right, nothing more and nothing less? Was that what she really wanted too? Friends? Wasn't this was friends were supposed to do? Give a swift kick in the ass when it was needed? Why would anyone be offering him a chance at friendship? He never needed it before . . .

Takeo's mind seemed to run in circles within circles over that concept, ignoring Sakura completely till he heard the door open again. Looking back up, he saw her standing to the side, hand on the knob, "Yes or no?"

This was a chance, wasn't it? An open door to a change, for better or for worse? His hope didn't stand a chance of resisting, dragging the rest of his better senses along for the ride.

The dark-haired man shuffled past her out the door and around the blonde on the couch. He didn't stop till he reached the entrance to the apartment, grabbing a pair of sandals for his bare feet. This was it. He'd made up his mind. He'd caved, a little. All he needed to do was imbibe a few drinks, appease the pink-haired troublemaker by just looking like he was having fun, get to know the dark-eyed kunoichi better, and he could be home in time to finish writing before he knew it. It was a sound plan till he heard the twin giggles behind him. Looking over his shoulder, he could see the pinched expression on Ino's face, nose crinkled in distaste, "You're not going outside like that, are you?"

He blinked, "Like what?"

"Like you haven't seen clean clothes, a shower, or even a hair brush in a few days," she teased.

Sakura sighed, coming up behind her, "Don't be too harsh on him, Pig. I didn't see any mirrors around here."

"What? It's just drinks, not a date . . . right?" he squeaked nervously, "Right?"

The two women looked at each other, and he could just feel the strings being pulled invisibly.

"Don't start. I am quite comfortable going out like this. Sasaki said this wasn't a date. I don't need-," Takeo started to argue, stopping once he noticed that they had already left the room to go back into the bedroom he'd just vacated, "Oh shit . . ."

Walking quickly, he found them riffling through his closet, their bags on his bed, and giggling to themselves like meddling pixies. He scowled, filing the analogy away for later reference, "What are you two doing?"

"Looking for clothes for you that aren't two sizes too big," Ino said, metals hangers scraping along the wooden pole as she pushed them back and forth, "What is it with men and dark colors?"

"I know, or the uniforms. I swear I can't get Kakashi to give up his vest, ever, or all those dark blue shirts and pants."

"Better than black."

"But he wears black too! And his are all too big too! He keeps pushing the sleeves up! It annoys me!"

"I thought you liked his forearms? And since when did you dictate his wardrobe?"

"I do like his forearms, and I don't dictate his wardrobe at all, but still. You'd think he'd put in some more effort when I dress up for him almost all the time."

"Why? He's already hooked you hasn't he?"

Ignored, Takeo blinked, attempting to block the topic of conversation from his mind, "I don't want to know. I don't want to know. I don't even want to know . . ."

Sakura giggled, remembering him again, "Relax, we have one hour to get you ready. Um, maybe you shouldn't relax. You still need a shower."

"But I'm fine . . ."

"Then how do you explain the hair? When did you last brush it?" Ino asked, not even glancing over through her rummaging. That was a good question as he tried to think about it. Only time he ever seemed to care about his appearance was before training or on missions, when it was important. Pulling at the long braid, Takeo groaned at the sight of loose hairs. Maybe he should wash up, but it didn't seem like good idea with the two women going through his clothes. "I can handle this on my own, thank you both very much . . ." he growled as they started to explore elsewhere, including some of the boxes he thought he'd buried, "Um, you don't want to-."

"Kami-sama! Sakura! Jackpot!" Ino crowed as she pulled out a pair of black pants, black leather pants to be exactly. Apparently his warning was too late as Sakura's eyes widened, trying to snag the garment from her friend. Takeo got a hand on them first, pulling them away as he blushed in mortification, "You never saw these, and I'm never wearing them again."

"Like hell you aren't! Those are perfect! You'll have every woman absolutely swooning!" Ino said as she grabbed one pant leg, yanking them back.

"I didn't agree to that! Those are not my every day clothes! I wouldn't be caught dead in that stuff!" he yelled, trying to pry the leather loose from her grip.

"Then why are you keeping them?" Sakura asked, watching the tug of war with amusement. Takeo turned red, giving up the battle before they tore the pants in half to leave Ino cackling in victory. He turned to answer the other woman, nervously scratching his hair, "Undercover missions . . ."

The meaning sunk in as she nodded slowly, "That makes sense . . ."

"You still have to wear these. No argument!" Ino yelled, shaking the leather in her fist at the man's face.

"But I can't! I, um, well, I out grew that pair," he said reluctantly, reaching for them again, "Just give them back . . ."

The blonde slapped Takeo's hands away and moved past him to the satchel she had earlier placed on the bed and Sakura's pack. Without ceremony, she started dumping out the contents of both bags, "If they don't fit, we'll make them fit."

Just when he was about to ask how she intended to do that, the tools she pulled out became somewhat more familiar. Sewing needles, pins, thread, scissors, everything needed for a sewing emergency. He didn't question the blonde's judgment till a small hammer, a wooden block, a steel die punch, and several metal rings emerged from the bag along with a large pair of fabric shears. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!" he yelled, completely oblivious as Sakura still looked through his clothes.

A sinister laugh came from Ino as she started to lay out the pants on his sheets, "I'm going to remake these so they fit you. Just need to cut the legs open and line grommets down the openings and lace it shut. Sakura, sides or front?"

"Front, definitely the front. Wait, you didn't plan on wearing underwear tonight, did you?" the pink-haired woman asked from inside his closet, grinning. Takeo looked mortified, "Excuse me!? What the hell kind of question is that?!"

"Well, it'll look horrible with the amount of skin you'll be exposing to ruin it with underwear . . . your legs aren't hairy either right?" Ino asked, already slicing up one pant leg with the shears.

For a moment, he thought his eyes would roll into the back of his head if either of them asked one more personal question. What exactly had he gotten himself into? Swaying slightly, Takeo collapsed onto the end of the bed, clutching his head, "No, not hairy at all . . ."

"You don't look so good, you ok?"

"Gee, I'm being dragged out to somewhere I really didn't want to go and trussed up like a lamb to the slaughter by two deranged kunoichi. All because some female acquaintance asked me out for one drink, and like the sucker I am, I said yes," he complained, words muffled in his hands, "Is there a reason I can't just look, you know, normal?"

"Because you're too hot to look just normal," Ino said happily, shears clipping away. Sakura gasped, eyes nearly popping out of her head while looking at her friend. "Pig, for goodness sake, you're married and pregnant with your husband's first child! You can't say stuff like that to another man!" she yelled, embarrassment clear on her face.

"I'm not dead, Forehead, just married. Besides, he probably knows this already, and just doesn't want the attention."

Between chuckles, Takeo nodded, "She's right. It's why that stuff is only for missions, because . . . well, I assume you know already."

"Quite, but, I won't say anything since we already agreed. Besides, I'm only here for sartorial consulting, not life counseling" Ino said as she put the shears down, glancing at Sakura who was still rummaging in the closet, "Find anything for a shirt yet?"

"Two yukatas in the box you found those pants in, black and grey, but not much else. Dark colors seem to rule it all. Not even a nice, sapphire blue something in here, all navy."

"Guess all black can work. No tight sweaters? No sleeveless shirts? Nothing?"

"Could use one of his ANBU uniform shirts. Women love them. I know I do on Kakashi at least," Sakura chirped with a giggle.

Takeo groaned again, "I heard nothing . . ."

Both women laughed, oblivious as he stood up from the bed and walked to towards the bathroom. It was the only thing he could do as there was no stopping them now. Perhaps he was being too much of a doormat by letting them barge in, talk him into something he didn't want to do, and then have their way with his clothes. But . . . at least they didn't ask anything personal, just went about their own business without really intruding into his personal history and demanding explanations. It wasn't good, but it could have been a lot worse. He watched them from the doorway, talking in quick, merry voices while milling over his rags. Was he really worth all this effort? Sakura looked up at him a moment and beamed, "Go wash up. We'll have something for you when you come out. One hour."

The dark-haired ninja nodded and closed the door behind him, leaving them alone.

* * *

It took Takeo half an hour to finish showering and drying his long hair. That seemed to be the most tedious part as he looked in the mirror, fidgeting with the poker-straight ponytail down his back. Sakura was wrong. He did keep at least one mirror in the apartment, but he usually kept a towel hung over it and never looked at it unless he had to. Why was he bothering this much? He only ever groomed himself this much to seem somewhat professional when it came to being a shinobi. Ninjas only ever looked like hammered crap after a mission, not beforehand. He didn't like caring for his obscenely long hair either. He only kept it that way because it was required of him. Takeo frowned at his reflection, pulling the glasses off of his face and tossing them onto the sink counter. No one needed to know of the sacrifices he made for Konoha's safety, or the devil's bargains he made for his own personal security, to survive from day to day.

Survival, yup, that seemed to be the sum of his life every time he looked at his reflection.

He hung the towel back over the mirror and wrapped another larger towel over his waist before peeking out the bathroom door. Sakura and Ino were gone along with the mess they had made on his bed. Wandering out, he saw a set of clothes on top of the covers with a note. Picking up the paper, he read it to himself then crumpled and tossed aside. All it stated was that they were waiting for him on the benches by the Jounin building, that was if he still felt up to venturing into the outside world. He had been anticipating that part. Sakura was too nice not to give him one more way out, just in case she really, really didn't understand him.

Avoiding the clothes for now, Takeo walked back out to the main room and to his desk, taking a seat on a rickety old chair. He looked at the page before him, mumbling the words to himself before cringing. Who was he deluding by thinking he could attempt to finish this? Himself? His editor? The ending he had in his head would never work out the way he wanted it to. He wanted a happy ending for once, but the characters never seemed to want that. Ever since he'd started on Dragon Team, all that ever seemed to develop was one character fighting another, or inter-personal drama over their troubles. No grand adventures, no magic no romance, no tragedy, just . . . bitterness.

Takeo grabbed the stack of pages in front of him and flung them across the room in frustration. It was useless, the most inane thing he'd ever written. There had to be a reason for the deterioration of his work. Maybe it was because he never really wanted to protect Konoha, escaping into the outside world instead with his writing. It made everything feel better. Yet, for the past few months, he'd been so focused on being a good shinobi for once given the presence of such respectable ninjas, and on keeping his life hidden from them, that everything else seemed unimportant. When he could finally focus on doing something he loved, writing, instead of something he was forced to do, it came out like so much garbled trash. Something else seemed important now, and escape from it was useless . . .

Or maybe he just had writer's block.

Slumping over the desk, his forehead banged a few times on the hard wood. Sakura was right. He needed a break, inspiration again, something that wasn't ninja-related or book-related. He needed a drink or twenty. Maybe a woman? Takeo shuddered, closing off that thought before it could mature. No way in hell. Not now, and not again. Besides, it was too relevant to his work to be a consideration, ever . . . even if part of his night entailed meeting and talking to one particular woman. For some reason, his hope still cheered gleefully at the mere thought of Sasaki.

Damn, why did that have to happen?

Friends, right? He just wanted friends, a friend, a good friend, and yet he wanted to avoid her at all costs at the same time. Why did he want to run every time he faced even the thought of her? Well, he knew the answer to that easily, but would never ever admit it, not even to himself. Running was part of the way he survived after all. He'd gotten very good at it. But why run from Sasaki? That was a good question. What was he afraid of from her? That she'd find out the truth? She seemed to already know part of it, and not care. Would she still care when she found out the rest? Well, she already went to all the trouble of opening her mouth first. It was a childish mentality, but she did start it, this friendship thing, so she was asking for something to happen. He had to deliver, right?

"Just friends, right?" he muttered to himself, sitting back and crossing his arms over his chest, "Why the hell not?"

Takeo stood back up from the desk and walked into the bedroom while humming himself. The purple-haired kunoichi wouldn't know what hit her.

* * *

Sakura's heel tapped on the ground outside the apartment building. Kakashi had written that she had two hours before he'd send Pakkun. They would be cutting it close, if Takeo showed up at all. Ino didn't look too hopeful from her spot on the bench, watching her pink-haired friend pace the stones. "Maybe he changed his mind? You did leave him a way out after all," she said, hands shoved into the pockets of her dress to keep from fidgeting, "I told you it was a bad idea."

"I know, but he looked so . . ."

"Oppressed? We did kind wheedle our way into his place and raid his wardrobe. Naruto only let us pull it off on him because he was so helpless otherwise when it came to girls, and he was so nervous too."

"You're right. We're not kids anymore. I shouldn't have been so stupid to think I could help out a grown man I don't even know too well. But . . . it felt right, still feels right. You saw the way he was, and the way Sasaki talked about him. She likes him, and he likes her, they just . . ."

"You always were a hopeless romantic, Forehead," Ino said with a gentle smile, closing her eyes and tilting her head up towards the night sky before looking back down, "Do you think those rumors are true, the ones about him being a predator?"

"Do you?"

"No, not anymore . . . but how did they get started in the first place? Why?"

"I don't know, and I don't think I care. Sasaki obviously doesn't care. And I don't know if Kakashi even knows. If he does, he really doesn't care since he's never said anything. Does that worry you? That we don't believe those rumors?"

"Rumors usually have a grain of truth to them, Sakura. And I know you saw how he outright lied to us, or bottled his emotions up tight, as unreadable as that garble he scribbled on the few pages I saw. Takeo may be harmless now, but what if it's just a front?"

"What if the reputation is a front? It has to be just a front. That's the other side of the rumor remember, that if he isn't forcing himself on women, they flock to him anyway."

"Well that isn't true . . . Even if it may be after tonight with what we've done to his appearance . . . If Takeo planted all the gossip about himself on his own, he's quite clever. Repulsing and intriguing those rumors, don't know what to believe about him . . ."

Ino's voice trailed of, leaving the air silent between them as they both watched the building again. Minutes later into the expectant waiting, the blonde spoke suddenly, almost startling her friend, "I am so glad you asked for my help with his clothes. I don't think I've had this much fun in months!"

"Well, you and trouble seem to go hand in hand, which is why you're one of my favorite accomplices, Ino-Pig. Besides, Naruto can't sew to save his life."

They laughed together, but as the happy noise calmed down, Sakura was sure she saw something flicker through her friend's blue eyes. It was worry, fear.

"Be careful with this one, Forehead," she said suddenly and seriously, the teasing nickname come off more like an endearment in her voice, "I know we always get bad feelings and all, and they turn out to be nothing sometimes, but . . . I got a bad feeling about this one that I can't help but feel. Maybe not bad for you, but for them . . . maybe it wasn't meant to happen."

Sakura slid down onto the bench beside her, sighing, "I know, Ino . . . I know . . . I learned a year ago that love and life is a crashing river. When you least expect it, it changes course and takes you along with it whether you want to go or not. You can't plan for anything, and I shouldn't be playing with two people, arranging things, when the changes could bury me, but . . . there's still hope, isn't there? It's gotten me this far, and I'm grateful for it. Maybe it'll help my friends as well."

"Well, we did our best."

"We did . . . You're ok, right? All that work must have been stressful. I don't know how you could sew up those yukata so fast after I trimmed them."

"It's all in the hands, which is how I can arrange flowers so quick."

"And toss kunai."

"I haven't done that in months . . . well, not since the wedding . . . I do feel tired. My feet are killing me."

"At least you're not as big as Hinata. She's almost ready to pop. You should still be off your feet," Sakura lectured her friend, nodding sagely. Ino giggled, sticking out her tongue teasingly at her friend, "Yes, doctor Haruno."

She sighed, turning away, "I'm a medic-nin, third best in the village, and no one ever takes my advice, not even my friends."

"I do so take your advice. In fact, I'm going to take it right now and go home to my husband and a nice big plate of barbeque, starving," Ino muttered as she got to her feet.

"And you complain that I'm becoming like Kakashi when you're starting to pick up Chouji's eating habits," Sakura giggled, removing the pack from her shoulder and handing it to her, "Don't lose that, all my mending things are in there. I'll pick it up tomorrow. Probably will need it too . . ."

"Planning on getting a rip in your dress then," the blonde asked with a lascivious grin.

"No, but I know it'll happen anyway. It can't be helped."

"If it happens, I want to know how it happens, and where, and how many positions too."

Sakura laughed, "Pig! You know I'll never tell!"

"I know, but can you blame me for trying?"

"Maybe . . ."

"Good night, Sakura-chan. Don't wait for him too long. You can't keep another man waiting forever," Ino said with a wink and a wave of her hand as she started down the road.

She laughed again, smiling as she shouted, "Good night, Ino! And thank you!"

Soon enough, her blonde friend was gone and Sakura was left on the bench all alone. The stars were already out, any clouds overhead scant in appearance. The street lights around the Jounin building were bright in contrast, making the night sky even darker. Ino was right. She didn't know what to think about Takeo. He was about as transparent as smoke. Perhaps that was what Sasaki saw in him in the first place, a mystery to dig through. The question was what would her friend find in the core of him? Maybe that was what made her afraid for the both of them, like Ino, even if the right feeling still stuck to her ribs.

All she could do was hope for the best, that he'd put on the clothes and any moment come walking down to the door of apartment building, letting the three of them invade his life for one night at least.

But as the lonely minutes dragged on, the hope slowly diminished.

When Pakkun came trotting up to her heels, the hope faded completely, "Your mate requests your presence at-."

Sakura cut the pug off as she stood up, resisting the childish impulse to stomp her feet as she trudged off, "I know! I'm coming! Damnit! Men! So stubborn, and foolish, and horrible, and-!"

"Sakura-chan!"

Her tirade at the dog stopped as she looked up to see Takeo running towards her. "And tardy," the dog muttered with a roll of his mud-colored eyes before he caught a scent on the wind, "Wait, is he the one I-?"

"Yup."

The dog's eyes narrowed on the man's appearance, "That is your doing, isn't it?"

"Yup."

"Good-bye, Sakura. It was pleasant knowing you," Pakkun said with a grim nod before disappearing with a poof of smoke. The pink-haired woman smirked, watching as the man slowed down to walk beside her. Takeo looked perfect, almost too perfect to be believed. She couldn't keep her eyes from glancing at his legs, and with good reason. She'd outdone herself this time. Kakashi would be livid. The entire bar would be in an uproar. Sasaki would be beside herself, or had better be after seeing their teammate in tight leather. When the night was over and another team meeting was called, she would definitely be borrowing those pants to see if their effect would be even more potent on the Copy nin's body. The mental image alone made her knees wobble slightly.

Sakura smirked, looking ahead again before she drooled or something equally embarrassing, "Almost thought you wouldn't make it."

"Sorry, took a while lacing these things, wrapping my wrists, and finding sandals. Did she have to use so many grommets?" Takeo complained, pulling on the leather, "At least they fit now . . . I suppose I should say thank you, to you and Ino-san."

"Thank us later, especially if you get laid tonight."

The man stopped walking, frozen in the street as he turned bright red under the street lamps. Sakura stopped as well, trying her hardest not to laugh in his face but it came out anyway, loudly. Takeo frowned, not finding his embarrassment particularly funny. She shoved at his shoulder, still giggling like a loon, "I was just joking. You do need a drink."

He smirked, but didn't say anything while walking along.

"Do you think anyone will notice me escorting you into the bar?" he asked suddenly, his voice almost nonexistent.

"It'll be a miracle if we don't put the whole place to silence."

". . . Kakashi is going to murder me."

"Not once I sit on his lap . . ." Sakura said mysteriously, holding her head a little higher, "It'll be a night to remember, that's for sure."

Takeo smiled then reached across the deliberate space between them to hook her arm in his, "Well, if I'm going to die, it might as well be in style next to a beautiful lady."

She laughed again, "Save the charm for someone it'll actually work on, pretty boy. I am much too taken."

He chuckled as well, "Eh, well, I couldn't help it. It was the dress. Besides, what sort of gentlemen would I be without giving out one compliment in the face of such loveliness?"

There no way to take his words but anything as non-serious. Sakura rolled her green eyes, sounding rather sarcastic, "I cannot wait to find out."

* * *

To Be Continued in Lesson 09 of The Way of the Sword, The Friday Night Drunkard Jounin's Social Club. 


	10. The Friday Night Drunkard Jounin’s

The Way of the Sword

A Naruto fanfiction, By Serenanna

Lesson 09 – The Friday Night Drunkard Jounin's Social Club

Warnings and Disclaimers: I don't own Naruto or any of the characters. I'm just borrowing them to play with. I'll return them later, promise. There is adult content, and sexual situations in this story involving sharp, pointy objects. So, if you're under 18, leave now before your virgin eyes are scarred forever, if you're over 18, enjoy!

Story Notes: This is a Kakashi/Sakura fic, while other pairings may come and go. This story is a continuation of Ronsmyhero's Respect and Understanding. Reading that fic is a good idea in order to understand this one as there will be references from it. It was with her knowledge and stamp of approval . . . but I've since lost contact with her (Ronsmyhero, if you're reading this, e-mail me!). Mulling my options, I am going to continue as planned.

In case she ever makes her own sequel, this is an AU take. I know a fanfic of a fanfic probably isn't a good idea, but I'm giving it a whirl. Ronsmyhero, this is in honor of you.

All warnings and such still apply! Refer to other chapters for full notes.

* * *

Sitting at the back corner of the table facing the door of the bar, Kakashi suddenly understood what all his teams ever must have felt waiting for his lazy self to show up. The experience of waiting for Sakura's arrival wasn't going to change that habit though no matter how aggravated he felt. He'd said two hours, he'd even sent Pakkun to find her, and yet she still wasn't there. If he didn't trust her to know what she was doing, he might have been worried . . . less. The silver-haired man leaned over the table with a sour expression under his mask, one arm propping his chin up. He looked to be bored out of his mind despite the animated conversations around him when in reality he was watching the curtained doorway like a hawk.

Everyone who knew Kakashi knew where his attention really was of course, but none of them were about point it out to him either. Most of them were too preoccupied with the on-going drama on the opposite end of the table. "Oh, shut it, Genma. I am not in the mood to fight tonight or to hear you gloating. Don't start or I'll be forced to ram that toothpick down your throat," Anko said harshly as she downed her second cup of sake since joining the table minutes ago, "It's all your damned fault anyway."

"How the hell is it my fault you keep failing with that idiot Iruka?! You're the one that was pursuing him while sleeping with me! Not that I give a shit! You could have at least told me though!"

"It's all because you cursed me! That's the only explanation I got, you ass! I've had bad luck ever since falling in with you!"

It took all of Kakashi's willpower not to groan with the rest of the table at the fighting, rubbing his visible eye to relieve some of the tension. This was too much information to be hearing about those twos sex life while still remotely sober. He had been dreading the inevitable explosion since seeing them glare at each other upon Anko's arrival. Then again, they always were glaring at each other anymore, or fighting, just not this revealing about their past relationship. Tonight though, all the dirty laundry was being aired, loudly, whether he wanted to hear it or not. "You didn't fall in with me, sweetheart! You came on to me!" Genma shouted, splashing sake all over the place as he slammed a fist down on the table.

"You sure as hell didn't say no!"

"I was too busy licking pussy to say yes!"

"Do you two know no bounds?!" Gai yelled at the two of them, pointing an accusing finger at them with a shaky stutter in his voice, "You are both beyond repugnant with your debase arguing! I no longer wish to-to hear about such-such things too brazen to be repeated!"

"Geez, Maito, you weren't so prudish when-."

"Do not repeat one more word, Mitarashi. What was between us is history never to be repeated," Gai said with such a coldness that could have cracked all the cups on the table, "I have buried it."

"Finally," Anko muttered, both men glaring at her still, "What?! Can't I sulk about my lack of sex a little?! I've been working on that man for a month now!"

"A month?!"

"Don't get your panties in a twist, Genma, I haven't actually slept with him . . . yet. I don't get how he can keep resisting me! I suggest one little drink out tonight and he squeaks like a mouse with his tail caught in a trap! If he wasn't so cute when he tries to run I would have given up by now! It's not like I bite!"

"Actually, you do . . ." Shiranui muttered under his breath, glowering darkly at the source of all his pains recently. A ferociously feline grin sprung up on the kunoichi's face, "You liked it when I bite . . ."

"Yeah, I should bill you for the rabies shot I needed afterwards."

"Why you arrogant ass-!"

"Alright, if you two are going to really fight, take it outside so the rest of us can drink without the urge to throw up every other sentence," Asuma said with a frown, his cigarette more bent than normal, "What hell has gotten into you both, anyway? You're fighting like some damned soap opera with the rest of us stuck in the audience."

"Someone give Smoky the abridged version please. I'm in no mood anymore to repeat my own woes," Anko said as she turned away from the glares. Despite her reputation, she still had something to be happy about. She was still friends with all her exes . . . sort of. Well, speaking terms was more like it, currently at least. If there was one thing Anko knew in all her experiences with men, it was that they were a lot friendlier to their old flames when they were getting some from someone else. Maybe once all of their dry spells had run their course would her two former lovers chill out and turn back to being just her friends.

Kurenai tried to look sympathetically at the other woman at the table, but couldn't summon enough emotion for even pity. She had brought it on herself after all with men, especially ones she was friends with. If Anko could settle down, then maybe the weekly antics of their little drinking circle would stick to just drinking. Sighing, she turned to the large man sitting next to her, whispering the tale into his ear while pouring more drinks, "Gai broke up with Anko, but no one knows why since neither of them talk about it. Then Anko, being herself, started seeing Genma not-so-seriously. She also started pursuing Iruka at the same time. Earlier this week, our friend caught her with her hand almost down the other man's pants at the Academy, and, well . . ."

"No wonder he was drinking himself silly more so than normal on Wednesday . . . So, Genma's pride can't take it?"

"I wouldn't call it his pride, just that he can't handle the fact that Anko dumped him first instead of the other way around, and did it behind his back."

"That's sort of a given when dealing with Anko . . . How do you know all this?" Asuma asked as his brow knitted together. His ruby-eyed lover simply smiled graciously before taking a small sip from the white cup in her hands. Putting it back down, her smile widened into a grin, "Your ex-student."

"Ino-chan?"

"Women talk."

"You don't tell her anything about . . . any of that, do you?" he questioned, chewing on the end of his smoke nervously. Kurenai laughed richly, the dark sensuality in her voice making him even more confused, yet irresistibly drawn in at the same time as she leaned into his ear. "Don't worry. Your reputation is safe in my keeping," she purred with a teasing smile, rubbing the back of her hand down the side of his cheek.

Asuma melted like putty in her hands, a ridiculous grin on his face that bordered on being love-struck, "Have I told you that I love you lately at all?"

"Oh, please, someone spare me from the lovebirds before they make me sick," Genma complained, making them break apart before anything else sappy happened, "What the hell is wrong with you all? I need insulin shots anymore to keep up with the sugar overload. You're all going fucking soft, or 'fuzzy' like Kakashi."

"For once we agree," Anko muttered into her drink.

"Hey, wait a moment. I haven't had a serious girlfriend in months let alone gotten laid. I'm no party to any of them," Raidou admitted before all eyes at the table turned to him, "Um . . . Well, it hasn't been for lack of trying . . ."

"For once we are in agreement as well," Gai said as he clapped the other man across the back. The scar-faced man's eyes went from the hand on his shoulder up to Maito's cheesy grin before shrugging is off. "Get off me," he muttered, "I almost think my bad luck is your fault too, you, Genma, and Anko's. Maybe I should find some normal people to drink with on Friday nights instead."

"In Konoha? . . . Good luck with that," Kakashi added, still keeping his eye on the door.

Raidou snorted, "I almost think cherry blossom's the most normal one ever here."

"Now that's saying something," Genma smirked, "Especially about the womenfolk present."

The eyes of the two females at the table rolled upwards. Turning back, Anko looked at the masked man sitting catty-cornered from her across the table, "Where's Sakura-chan anyway?"

"Maybe she stood you up, one-eye," Genma said with a grin before someone kicked him under the table hard enough to make him spit out the toothpick, "What the hell?! It was a fucking joke!"

"It wasn't funny," Anko threw him a dark look, "Pinkie's too smart and sweet on him to do anything like that."

"She'll be here," Kakashi nodded at the door, "Just probably taking her a while to gather some more additions to this little party."

"She is not bringing Uzumaki again, is she?" Gai asked as he shook his head at his rival.

"Not another one of the rookies, right?" Kurenai asked, getting another shake of the head from the Copy nin as well.

Anko finally asked the inevitable, "Who is it then?"

* * *

Takeo took a deep breath as they stood side by side and arm in arm outside the curtained doorway of the bar, "I don't know if I can do this, Sakura . . . There could be people in there that know me."

"And this is a problem because . . . ?" she drew out the question, waiting for him to fill in an answer.

"Because they don't like me? I'm not the most popular person around because of my reputation. Why do you think I've avoided things like this up until now? Not to mention I can almost guarantee, as lovely as you are, no one but Kakashi will be looking at you," the dark-haired man said bluntly.

Looking over him again, Inner Sakura agreed that there was much truth to his statement. It worried her, a little, but not enough to deter the kunoichi from the plan in her mind. "You can do this, Takeo. Think of it as proving the real you to the rest of Konoha. Show them what you're made of!" Sakura said triumphantly, pumping her fist in the air before giggling inanely, "How bad can it be, really?"

He snorted in derision, "I think I should have stayed home . . ."

* * *

"Well, one is Sasaki. She was around when Sakura and I were in the hospital together," Kakashi answered.

"The purple-haired ANBU lady?!" Genma shouted excitedly, "I remember her! Damn! I never expected to see her again . . . Maybe I will get lucky tonight!"

Raidou chuckled into his drink, "Yeah, right. She's too smart for you, Shiranui."

"Hey! I can try, can't I?"

"Don't even try. She'll cut you to ribbons," Kakashi warned him, even if he knew it was pointless, especially when his friend just shrugged in response. Genma learning to keep his hands to himself had all the likelihood of happening as hell freezing over. "Who's the other one?" Anko asked, looking all too eager for an answer.

"Kimura Takeo, a mutual friend. I don't think any of you know him," the Copy nin answered, anticipating the questions from his friends on their second mystery guest now that they knew his name. What he got instead was utter silence and some stunned stares from his small circle of friends and self-imposed rival.

This was . . . odd.

He blinked, wondering what he'd said to trigger this sort of response, "What?"

"Kimura? 'Him'?" Gai asked with all seriousness, staring at him in disbelief. Ok, maybe not so much just disbelief as it was disgust and appalled. Even Genma looked stricken. The only people not visibly taken back were taken aback were Anko and Raidou, who looked just as confused as he was. It was beginning to unnerve Kakashi slightly that some of oldest friends at the table knew something he didn't, "What part of the name 'Kimura Takeo' and the words 'mutual friend' weren't clear enough?"

"You don't know him at all, do you?" Kurenai's usual tone of voice dropped as her red eyes bore into him from across the table, "Do you know what he is?"

The slight shake in the dark haired kunoichi's hand on her cup gave away the tension within her. Watching Asuma take her hand to steady it wasn't comforting at all either. It made his eyebrows knit together beneath the band resting sideways on his head. What exactly were their eyes telling him that their mouths weren't? "Only a little . . . I do know what he is capable of if that's what you're implying . . ." Kakashi said as he glanced from one end of the table to the other, "So maybe you all know him better than I assumed . . . is there something you're not telling me?"

There was an exchange of looks all around the table except at the silver-haired jounin. Before any answers could be given, a noticeable silence had fallen over the rest of the bar, an extremely difficult feat for a place that got pretty rowdy at that time of night. One by one, heads turned towards the entrance. "Now what?" Anko muttered, annoyed till her eyes focused on the cause of the silence, "Holy shit!"

She swiveled around in her seat and rose up, forcing the rest of the table behind to stand up as well if they wanted a look. Kakashi was stuck with peering around both Asuma and Gai as they crowded over the kunoichi's shoulder. Once he got a look though, he quietly whispered similar sentiments, "Oh . . . shit . . ."

Sakura stood in the doorway, casually hanging on the arm of a tall, pale man dressed entirely in black. Naturally, Kakashi's eye wandered over his cherry blossom first, taking in the green and gold brocade dress with ebony trim. It looked as good on her as he remembered, bringing a smile to his face under the cloth mask. Her short hair was pulled up and away from her face, pinned with small gold clips. She even wore the black fishnets and high-heeled sandals he had dug out of her things, making him wonder if she followed what else he had and hadn't laid out. At the mere thought, his smile turned absolutely goofy.

Yet, the smile died when he looked at her escort.

A flood of thoughts went through the Copy nin's head as he tried desperately to keep most of it off his face and out of his one eye. The first thought to hit him was one of possessiveness. A man who looked that good should not be standing that close or holding the arm of his woman that familiarly. The only thing that kept Kakashi in check from committing murder on the spot was Sakura's green eyes locked onto his from across the bar, and her bright smile in his direction. It was ok. She loved him. The smile and the dress was all for him. He could live with her being escorted by another man. Besides, if he did punch a hole through Takeo, she'd never forgive him.

The second thought Kakashi had once he calmed down was of jealousy, that he was just as handsome as the other man was pretty, if not more so, but only his lover knew that. Yet, given the amount of similarly jealous looks Takeo was getting at that moment, he was grateful only the woman he loved, Tsunade, Sasaki, Genma, and perhaps Naruto knew what he really looked like. Still, it made him wonder if Sakura would be just as jealous or if she'd be proud if anyone else got a peek beneath his mask. A slight smirk tugged on his mouth. He had a funny feeling that if his mask ever suddenly disappeared one day, the kunoichi would mind only a little while the rest of Konoha would be in turmoil.

The third thought was one of pity, knowing from the skittish look in the man's sapphire eyes that this wasn't a position he wanted to be in. Kakashi couldn't blame him, despite how many lonely men would give up body parts to be looked at that hungrily by a women let alone an entire bar full of them. Somehow, he didn't think Sakura had thought that far ahead in picking out Takeo's wardrobe. The poor man looked like he'd stepped out of one of Ero-sennin's darker books, the short black yukata layered over a grey one with the sleeves taken off and the front hanging so low and open that it left little of his chest to the imagination. His dressers had also had the ingenuity to cut up the sides so that the black leather pants he wore were exposed to full effect. The amount of skin they exposed on a man was almost obscene, even by his perverse standards. Half a thought passed through his head, hoping that those pants weren't entirely his beloved's idea, especially how they were cut and laced back together down the front of each leg.

That half-thought fully matured into a fourth thought, one of horror, especially upon seeing the proud smile on Sakura's lips. There was something in her eyes that spoke directly to him, and it said black leather and lots of exposed skin would be in his future if she ever had her way with his wardrobe. Somehow, he doubted he'd ever be that daring at his ripe age, but around the cherry blossom, he never knew what he'd be capable of next, including committing crimes against fashion.

A fifth and final thought came up, and it made him shift uncomfortably on his feet at the sensation of impending doom. He still didn't know what his friends had alluded about Takeo earlier. There was still a lot he didn't know about his teammates or his friends. It made him wonder if Sakura's meddling was about to turn into more trouble than he wanted to handle with alcohol around the table.

Kakashi came to one final conclusion as the silence broke into a million whispers throughout the bar as the pair started walking towards their table. It was that this night was going to go down in infamy one way or another. Anko's breathless, thunderstruck voice helped in making sure it wouldn't be one to forget, "He . . . he looks like sex."

The Copy nin sunk back down in his chair, uttering again what was turning out to be the phrase of the night, "Oh shit . . ."

The crowd seemed to drop back into their seats as soon as the dark-haired man and the kunoichi on his arm passed, yet most of Kakashi's usual table stayed on their feet. Even when Sakura and Takeo stood no less than five feet away did any of them brave moving a single muscle, except for Anko. In complete contrast to the stone cold looks around her, the trench coat wearing woman looked all too eager to welcome the new arrivals, purring, "Hello, gorgeous."

Stopping dead in his tracks, Takeo gulped, "Ah, um . . . hello?"

"Oh, give it a rest, Anko. He isn't interested," Sakura giggled as she let go of his arm, walking round the table towards Kakashi, "And we all know you have enough man troubles, too much to go adding a fourth one to the mix."

Genma snorted, barely holding down the chuckle let alone retaining the severe look to his face. And yet, the conversation seemed to have the opposite effect on Gai, making his anger more evident as he pointed his stares towards his ex-lover, "You don't want to mess with this one, Mitarashi."

Sakura stopped behind the Copy nin's shoulder, blinking rapidly as a cold air seemed to descend on the table. Had she missed something important? She glanced at Kakashi, noticing for the first time that night how tense he appeared. Glancing at the others, she could see much of the same type of tension that usually pervaded drunken brawls in all of them. For a moment, she wondered if someone would throw a punch till Kurenai put her hand on Asuma's arm before taking her seat again. She stared straight ahead, never over at Takeo and not at the man beside her either as she spoke, "Won't you have a seat, Kimura-kun?"

"You remember my name then . . ." the man at the center of it all's voice was almost non-existent over the normal hum of the bar, "It seems most of you do . . ."

For the span of what felt like entirely too long, the group of jounins remained as silent as the dead. Anko and Raidou sunk back into their seats, the scraping of wooden legs ending the calm. The noise appeared to shatter what little courage was left in Takeo. "This was a mistake. I never should have come. Enjoy the rest of your evening," he shot a regretful look across the table toward the cherry blossom before turning, "I'm sorry, Sakura-chan-."

"The lady asked you to have a seat," Asuma interrupted, crossing his arms, "So have a seat."

As the larger man sat down, so did the rest of the table even with the rumblings from both Gai and Genma. Moving up to Kakashi's side, Sakura wondered for a moment if the dark-haired man would still run away the longer he just stood there. The whole situation both unnerved her and made her extremely curious. Maybe this was what Takeo had meant before they walked in, about people not liking him. Yet, the coldly-veiled anger coming off their little circle of drinking companions didn't seem to be caused by just his reputation preceding him. Had something deeper happened between all of them that no one talked about? Before she could ponder any longer, he took the last remaining chair at the end of the table.

Just when Sakura was about to sigh in relief, a pair of hands grabbed her by the waist, making her jump with a high-pitched yelp, "Kakashi!"

The swat on the shoulder he received was born of pure reflex, even if she didn't mean it. He didn't let go of her either.

Barely held back chuckles and laughter relieved some of the tension still lingering in the air. Sakura glared at the Copy nin who blinked at her in complete innocence, ignoring the hand wandering down towards her rear. "What? Aren't you going to have a seat?" he asked, dark eye creasing at her.

For a moment, a glint of devilish intent passed across his face when his eye opened again, the mask hiding what was no doubt a very wide grin. Her blush turned a few shades of red, remembering what exactly she was and wasn't wearing under that dress. This must have been what Kakashi planned all along, knowing how she usually claimed his lap as her seat, and that she couldn't stand the whole night. Sakura took in a deep breath and swallowed it, calming both the heat in her cheeks, her frazzled nerves, and the building tingle in the pit of her stomach. A small spark of daring lit up her green eyes. Well, he was asking for something to happen, and she had bargained herself right into the position he wanted her in. If her silver-haired lover was going to play dirty, the least she could do was pay him back.

Sakura removed his hand before it could wander too far, and dropped down onto his lap. As soon as the silk of her dress slid over the rough material of his pants, Kakashi abruptly sat up straight, as if he'd been jolted to attention. The pair looked at each other in that moment, a wordless exchange of information in their eye contact. His glance asked a question to which she nodded slightly then fixed her gaze on the opposite end of the table. The Copy nin relaxed in the chair again, casually putting his arms around the blushing pink-haired kunoichi while his fingers nearly twitched underneath the table as soon as he touched the green and gold brocade of her dress. He wasn't wrong. Something was definitely absent from the way she sat perched on his legs.

His cherry blossom really was missing her panties, and only because he didn't want her to wear any.

Unbeknownst to the rest of the table and the woman sitting on him, a perverse grin spread across Kakashi's face under the mask. Yet, his nearly giddy expression and self-congratulatory thoughts were wiped away when she squirmed, trying to get comfortable on his lap. It took most of his effort to keep from groaning out loud, placing his hands on her hips to keep her still. "Don't do that," he threatening into her ear, watching the delicate skin burn bright red.

"I can't exactly help it!" she hissed back under her breath, nearly jabbing an elbow in his ribs, "This was your idea, pervert. I am just honoring my part of the deal . . . even if this feels rather weird. Couldn't you wear a softer pair of pants? I swear I'm sitting on a lump."

"Um, that isn't what you think it is . . ."

Her green eyes blinked at him blankly before the realization slowly hit her along with a blush that would have radiated clear into the night, "Kami-sama . . ."

Before she could come up with any creative names to call him once the embarrassment wore off, Kakashi chuckled darkly while his mask grazed the back of her neck, breaking her thoughts altogether, "Your squirming, your fault. Just don't move . . . too much."

Any witty retort she could have said utterly died of more embarrassment, her face only getting redder. It was a good thing that no one seemed to be paying attention to them that night. Not that she felt up to answering potentially embarrassing questions anyway.

In fact, Sakura could almost swear that everyone was more concerned with everything else as she glanced around. After the near argument over Takeo, no one but Anko seemed to be paying attention to the man's presence. The kunoichi leaned over the corner of the table towards him while purring a proper introduction, threatening to spill out of her chair and across the floor if her balance broke. For his part, their teammate was doing his best to not only lean as far as he could away from her, but also sink to new lows in his seat. Asuma and Kurenai were too busy whispering between themselves to notice, while Genma and Gai seemed to be doing the same only a little more animated in their conversation. Raidou had left the table at some point, chatting up a woman at the bar. For the moment, everything seemed typical of their drinking nights, and she was glad of it.

But, that gladness was short-lived when Genma asked a question out of nowhere, "So, Takeo-kun, what brings you out of hiding?"

The dark-haired man stopped a moment, seeming to consider the question till Anko interrupted, "Don't be silly, Genma. He obviously wanted some company."

The sultry tone to her voice implied a certain type of 'company'. Takeo sputtered something that sounded like a denial, but stopped when Gai snorted in derision, "Do you not have other methods of attaining such 'company'?"

There it was again, that chilling air hanging over their table that Sakura nearly made shiver. Takeo grimaced, his jaw clenched shut, and the kunoichi's face fell. The change in subject was no accident, and neither was the fiery glare the taijutsu master gave their teammate. For a moment, she thought the cowardice he'd displayed earlier would win out till he looked back at Gai, his face blank, "Like it was implied, I don't get out much to meet new people. I wouldn't know what you are talking about . . ."

Kakashi bit down on a chuckle, knowing his eternal rival's temper was no doubt flaring, "That's supposed to be my line."

A smirk tugged on their teammate's mouth, "Sorry, I couldn't help it."

Gai seethed, grumbling a question as he grabbing his drink, "How do you know my rival and the lovely Sakura again?"

"Mutual friends," the three of them chimed in unison. Their answer didn't appease the taijutsu master any as he continued to grumble. Everyone else had gone quiet except for Anko, who invaded Takeo's personal space again while sliding a cup of sake in his direction, "I don't know why everyone's so tense tonight. I like meeting new people, and you seem rather nice. I like nice men. I feel like I know you already and we've just met."

The grin on the kunoichi's face was a little too predatory to be entirely friendly, at least not the type of friendly he liked.

Takeo gulped. Why was this happening to him? Quickly glancing over at Genma and Gai, they didn't seem comfortable with her statement either. Sakura and Kakashi weren't any help when he looked towards them, the puzzled expressions asking for answers that he didn't want to give in public. He never should have been suckered into his beautiful teammate's request in the first place, especially since she wasn't even there. Resisting the urge to look over his shoulder was difficult. Sasaki wouldn't be there even if he did look, he just knew it. If she was, the pink-haired woman would have been beaming, but she wasn't. The seconds ticked by, and the very flirtatious kunoichi still smiled at him too much. Takeo gulped, again, "That's very generous of you, Anko-san. I wish I could return the sentiments, but . . ."

"I already told you. He isn't interested in that," Sakura glared at her, "So would you please stop it?"

She got a glare in return, along with a hissed spat, "Mind your own business, Pinkie. I don't interfere with your love life so stay out of mine."

"He's a friend. I will so mind," the pink-haired woman growled, nearly getting up if it wasn't for Kakashi's hand holding her back down.

"Anko, give it a rest, please," Kurenai interrupted before they could argue further, taking a long pause to have a drink, "Kimura-san's presence isn't-, shouldn't stop us from being civil to each other. It was in the past after all. Much has happened since-."

"Don't say any more," Asuma said as he put a hand on hers. Sakura blinked at the action, almost swearing she saw the woman's hand shake slightly. She turned to Kakashi, "Did you just-?"

He nodded before her question was even finished. Before she could ask why, Gai abruptly stood up from the table, "It is not that easy to forget such a thing. You certainly haven't and neither will I. You should dwell on that before making requests of others."

"Sit down and stop making an ass of yourself, Gai. We could at least hear the man out before you condemn him, loudly and publicly," Asuma growled, biting on his cigarette.

"You weren't involved. You wouldn't even know what all happened except from your woman. Stay out of it," Genma growled back, the harshness making Kakashi's eyebrows rise up again. What the hell were they all talking about, and what did it have to do with Takeo? Before he could butt in or even defend their teammate for something he didn't even know about, the bearded man's hand slammed down on the table strong enough to rattle cups, "I know the rumors just as well as you do, but I won't be a damned fool like you two to blindly believe them no matter how much evidence there is!"

"Please, stop it. I meant what I said. We should just forget it ever happened . . ." Kurenai trailed off. She seemed to want to say more till Anko jumped up in her chair, "What the hell are you three talking about anyway?! You two especially have some very big sticks up your collective asses about the guy! Takeo-."

She looked down, expecting the dark-haired to be sitting there only to see his seat empty, "What the-. Where did he go?"

"Well, it looks like he grew up in other ways too," Genma commented, absently pouring himself another drink amid the chaos.

Sakura hadn't noticed Takeo disappear either, and every hair on the back of her neck rose up in warning. Shaking off his hands, she pushed up from Kakashi's lap to peer through the crowded bar, but didn't spot him. Slowly, she sunk back down. Shit. She would have cursed out loud, so her inner self did it instead, wrecking a few pieces of furniture in the process. All that work to bring the exceedingly anti-social man out of his shell for one night, and it went down in flames before he even had one drink. She didn't even want to think about what she was going to tell Sasaki. Her brow knitted together in fury, glaring at all of them, "I hope you're all happy with yourselves now. I doubt anyone will be able to convince him to go anywhere in public ever again."

She wasn't the only one angry judging by the look of cold, impending wrath radiating from the Copy nin's single dark eye. Normally, Kakashi's thoughts and concerns on the survival of his team stopped the moment a mission was over. He didn't care about his teammate's social dilemmas so long as it didn't either interrupt his life or cause a problem with the team as a whole, thus his policy of anti-fraternization, even if it had long ago disappeared. It was part of why he tried to butt out of Sasaki and Takeo's lives as well, no meals, no drinks, no socializing whatsoever. Their lives weren't his concern, and he didn't want to make it his business either. And yet, not only had his beloved unwittingly dropped a new team-related problem into his lap, figuratively, she also brought it into the lives of his long-time friends. And all she had to do was play matchmaker to put him in a position that was very much between a rock and a hard place.

Something had to give, and the first thing to go was his general sense of aloofness.

Kakashi glared at all of them, the outline of his mouth through the mask turned downwards. He wasn't happy at all, and for once he let everyone around him know it. Genma cringed, the first to look away from the pair, "Now would be a good time for more drinks, I think . . . and a very good explanation."

* * *

He knew this wasn't a good idea. He never should have been a fool to believe anything could change. Ignoring the looks on his back and dodging drunken, amorous women, Takeo moved as quickly as he could to the opposite side of the bar from the table he had just abandoned and plopped down on a lone stool, hoping no one he knew could see him through the dense crowd. This was a disaster, just like he knew would happen. If it had been anyone else at that table, he could have maybe survived, but not them. They remember too much of what he could do, too much of what happened. The memories flooded back into his mind in images, making the ninja wince and grind the heel of his palm into his forehead.

How could Kurenai talk about forgetting it ever happened when it was all he ever thought about? What he had done to them? The only way he could justify his actions was that he was following orders, that he was too young to know what he did, that any of it happened because of one simple mistake. Why did he have to keep paying for that mistake? Didn't they know that it had cost him so much already?

Takeo's hand dropped away, and he looked towards the curtained doorway. He should have left instead of sticking around. A voice inside the back of his head told him he could still leave. Neither Kakashi nor Sakura had tried to find him. Sasaki wasn't there either. He had no reason to stay any longer anyway. If the purple-haired woman did walk through the red curtain, his courage to say anything meaningful to her was gone. He pushed up from the bar but stopped when the bartender finally noticed him, chuckling, "You look like you could use a drink."

The dark-haired man dropped back down, resisting the impulse to smirk, "I could . . . tequila?"

"What?"

"Never mind, sake's fine as long at it burns the way down," he muttered, leaning over the bar to put his head in his hands. One drink, then he'd go, or at least that was what he told himself when the small decanter and cup was placed in front of him. For a moment he just stared at it, the urge to drink his problems into oblivion slowly seeming less and less appealing. This was another one of his many mistakes.

Takeo reached out to push the white porcelain container away when a feminine hand snagged it, "You look like you've had a bad day, gorgeous. Let me get that for you."

Inwardly, he groaned, looking over to see a woman looming over him pouring the drink. Her hair wasn't purple, it was brown, her eyes weren't dark, they were sky blue, and her skin was much too tanned to be considered fair. And she smiled too widely, trying to be pleasing and flirtatious just like Anko. Takeo fought down a frustrated sigh as well as the nauseous feeling roiling in his stomach. This was part of why he didn't want to be trussed up the way Sakura and Ino had commanded. When he put actual effort into his appearance, it gave too many people too many ideas about him, especially lonely women and a few lonely men. "Thank you, but I'm not interested," he muttered when she put the decanter back down, not bothering to look up at the woman again, "I just want to be left alone."

"You poor thing . . . you really did have a bad day. Want to tell me about it?" she asked sweetly, nearly sincerely. Takeo frowned, not letting the annoyed anger prickling at the back of his neck get to him. Persistent, he had to give her that. Yet, persistence didn't win him over at all. In fact it only made the ninja more frustrated, especially when her hand casually touched his shoulder. He didn't just react to the touch, he jumped, violently throwing the offending fingers off of him as he turned to glare her, "Madam, please do not think I am ungrateful when I say this, but I am most sincere in saying that your company, thoughts, and attention are utterly wasted on me. So would you please-?"

Takeo's request stopped cold as he felt another pair of hands slide over his shoulders and down his chest, arms embracing his neck with a familiarity he wasn't comfortable with. If his voice wasn't residing somewhere between the pit of his stomach and his balls, he might have shouted at the person. Two soft mounds of flesh pressed into his back as he stiffened. No, not a person, a woman, his molester was definitely female as the scent of lavender mixed with vanilla filled his nose. "Sorry I took so long. You weren't waiting long were you, sweetie?" a voice purred over his shoulder, one he knew too well.

Sasaki.

"N-not at all," he stuttered slightly till swallowing the lump in his throat, "It was good of you to come."

He cringed at the line, mentally cursing himself. Good of you to come? What the hell was he thinking? And why was he talking like he'd come from one of his own damned books? Takeo could have died of embarrassment right then and there, fighting down the groan along with the urge to clunk his head on the bar top. Stupid, stupid, stupid, and yet, the purple-haired kunoichi didn't seem to mind. She giggled into his ear, which quickly turned red. The other woman minded a lot though as she glared daggers over his shoulder, "I see. Sorry to disturb you."

She got up from the stool and walked away without looking back. As soon as she was gone, Takeo let out the breath he'd been holding and twisted to look up at Sasaki. The first thing he noticed was what she wore, a short-sleeved, tight shirt of misty grey that had seen better days judging from the white bleach spots and darker thread in the seams. His eyes then drifted down to her pants, fitted and faded black jeans marked with small colorful dots, like half cleaned-up paint splatter. They were tucked into tall, boot-like sandals of black leather, snaps running down the outer sides of her calves. His eyes went up again, caught on her purple hair. The shade of it seemed more vivid that night, but it had to be an illusion, one created by the lack of color in her clothes. And yet, he didn't mind. Sasaki could have worn a potato sack, and he still would have been glad to see her at that moment.

She stood nearly bent over him, smiling in a way that was more pleased than predatory, unlike every other woman who smiled at him that night. She was genuinely happy to see him? It looked like it, but then again, she was rather close. He never did trust what his eyes saw at first glance anyway, especially without his glasses. And yet, part of him wanted to believe that yes, the kunoichi wasn't thinking about anything except seeing a friend, namely him. Smiling slightly, Takeo ignored the arms draped over him a moment, "I suppose this is the part where I should say thank you?"

"You should say thank you," Sasaki laughed richly, a highly-amused grin on her face, "I knew you looked like you were in distress. Coming to your rescue from the shameless women of Konoha was the least I could do."

A grin sprung up on his face as well, "My heroine."

Her grin softened with a smile again, staring into his sapphire eyes as he stared right back. His heroine, the words had such a nice ring to them. And yet, as soon as they left his throat and registered in his mind, self-consciousness set in. He probably shouldn't have said that, or shouldn't have sounded so grateful. The compliment made the kunoichi smile more. She shouldn't have been smiling while hugging him. She still hugged him, rather closely, too close, much too closely in fact. Nervousness crept under Takeo's skin, his fingers drumming on the bar, "Um, do you mind?"

Sasaki must not have heard his question as she didn't move. "Uh, can you let go now?" the dark-haired ninja squeaked, pulling away gently.

She blinked. Was there something wrong in hugging him? . . . She was hugging him? Her hands touched his back and it felt like a nice strong back too, confirming that indeed her mind wasn't making it up. Her eyes slowly drifted down, noticing his clothes for the first time now that he was turned towards her. Sakura wasn't kidding when she said she would gift-wrap him as her eyes widened in surprise. He was gorgeous, stunning, quite a few adjective that had no place being applied on a male, except for perhaps sexy. That one little word resonated in her poor, troubled mind and down through her skin. Heat flared in the pit of Sasaki's stomach, a feeling she thought was long dead. Looking away was the only option she had unless she actually wanted to be caught staring at his pants.

Yes, Takeo was indeed sexy now that he was half-naked and shrouded in black leather. Dressed as he was, she could finally believe that he was capable of performing a jutsu that could sweep anyone off their feet and into bed. Maybe he didn't even need the jutsu. The mere thought of sex and the ninja she embrace twisted her insides enough that she could barely remember to breathe in his presence. But breathe she did, quickly in and large gulps to try and clear her head and the blush on her cheeks before it could turn her bright red. This was still Takeo after all, right? And yet, the vision before her clashed greatly with the one in her head, the slightly nerdy, nervous side of him she'd met the day of the black out. How could two seemingly different aspects be a part of the same man?

Her eyes looked back into his, finding a small hint of fear between the black pupils and sapphire irises. The kunoichi's brow furrowed and all her previous thoughts were gone. What was he afraid of? Her?

Propriety finally kicked in as Sasaki reeled backwards, her arms releasing him while standing up straight again. Not looking away, the fear was still there in him even if her arm were gone. "Oh, um, sorry. I guess I shouldn't have done that," she muttered, backing up slightly to put some distance between them.

He blinked, taking a deep breath. When Takeo's eyes opened again, the look she'd seen was gone. "It's ok. It worked after all, and I'm grateful," he said with a brave smile just for her, "How can a hug be bad?"

Sasaki didn't buy it for a moment, "No, really. I shouldn't have done that. It was impulsive of me. I should apologize-."

"You don't have to-."

"But I insist, really. I'm-."

"It isn't necessary-."

"But-."

"Sasaki, I mean it."

"But what I did might give people the wrong ideas . . . about us," she said, unable to fight the blush any longer or the guilt over covering up what she knew. No, admitting to him the fear that she'd seen was the last thing she wanted to do, not till she understood why. Her eyes drifted down to the dirty barroom floor, "Please, I'm sorry. I didn't want to cause more trouble for you from the rumor mill . . ."

Understanding clicked behind his eyes, and he grinned, "Apology accepted, but on one condition?"

She blinked, curious, "What's that?"

A playful grin sprouted up on the ninja's face, "We give them something more to talk about."

He couldn't possibly mean 'that' . . . could he? One look at the amusement and interest in his sapphire eyes, and her mind fell straight into the gutter while filling in 'that' blank. The purple-haired woman gawked at him in shock, sputtering, "I, um, I don't know if I-."

Takeo snorted chuckles, covering his mouth to keep from laughing completely in her face. The kunoichi's expression fell, realization finally dawning on her along with embarrassment. He had just teased her. The dark-haired man's laughter only got louder as she groaned, burying her face in her hands, "I am so dense . . ."

"But now we're just about even in the pride department."

Sasaki laughed slightly, "Which is just about none left . . . Is all forgiven now?"

"As long as it's forgotten that any of this ever happened," Takeo said, his grin widening as he pointed to an empty stool at the corner of the bar, "Move over to the end, and I'll join you."

What was wrong with where they were? Except for the table of women eyeing him up like a juicy steak from right behind them, it was perfect. She didn't mind it, but something was missing, namely the rest of their teammates. She imagined Kakashi and Sakura would have been with Takeo since the younger woman had obviously gotten to his wardrobe. Where were they anyway? Drinking was maybe the one thing their captain was ever punctual for. Looking around, she could see pink hair across the room at a far off table, "Shouldn't we be over there?"

"Um, well, you see . . ." Takeo attempted to explain, trying to figure out how to hide the truth before settling on a lie, "They're sort of all over each other tonight, and so were their friends. I didn't want to disturb them so I moved. I don't think anyone even noticed that I left."

Grabbing the cup and decanter, he slid down the bar, cutting off any more questions. Sasaki's feet followed to the stool he'd point out to her before, seemingly having a mind of their own. Just about to sit down, she couldn't help but notice how he still stood up by his own empty spot, waiting. The purple-haired woman's dark eyes narrowed, "What is it?"

"Um, a gentleman's supposed to be standing till a lady sits . . ." he said almost under his breath. Sasaki blinked at him. He was supposed to stand and wait for her? That was a form of manners she'd never heard of before except in books. She could count on one hand the number of shinobi she knew with any form of manners that she wouldn't be embarrassed by. Yet, none of them would have noticed if she stood, sat, excused herself, or even had her chair pushed in all the way. It was antiquated, and very formal, but . . . oddly flattering. The kunoichi sunk down onto the stool, stunned till he sat as well, "I never knew that . . ."

She never knew that about him. Takeo fidgeted a moment, "It was my mother's doing. She sort of ground proper manners into me, and I took it from there."

"Sort of? What else did she teach you?"

The grin on his face was slight, "Holding doors and curtains open, how to help a lady with her coat, escorting a lady across the street, over mud, you know, that sort of thing . . . I just take it a few steps over sometimes without realizing it . . . Um, I'm not embarrassing you, am I?"

Sasaki smiled, giggling a little, "I thought chivalry was supposed to be dead."

"Not dead, just out of fashion," he smiled back, signaling the bartender for another cup. Once the cup was placed on the counter, he even poured the drink for her. She nodding politely and reached for it when he was finished, eyebrows arched while commenting, "Your mother must be some lady herself to teach such old-fashioned manners to her son."

The smile wiped away from Takeo's face, slowly descending into a thin line across his lips. "I suppose she still is . . . I wouldn't know anymore," he said softly, before clearing his throat, "She really didn't teach me all of my archaic manners. I picked them upon my own because I wanted to. I just . . . like being polite, I guess."

"Takeo . . ." she started to ask, till waved her off, "No, don't ask about her. Please?"

Sasaki sat there, stunned again for different reasons, before slowly nodding. He was right to not want to talk about his parents. If he had answered her, then he would have to ask about hers, of which there wasn't much to tell, at least not while sober yet. And that one question would lead to dozens of others about her past history that she didn't want to answer either, at least not yet. It was better that she didn't ask in the first place and that he didn't answer.

The kunoichi looked down at the cup still in her hands then raised it to take the drink. The sake burned in her throat as she downed the alcohol in one gulp, wincing as the porcelain hit the counter with a clink. Takeo looked at her a moment, then followed with his own drink. Finished, he groaned at the burn, nose crinkled in distaste, "I think I remember why I don't like this stuff too much."

"Why's that?" Sasaki asked, not hiding the frown on her face or the sadness in her voice.

"The burn it gives you feels better than the taste it leaves in your mouth," he groused, fiddling with the cup in his hands before setting it down. She giggled in spite of herself, a smile half on her lips before it was gone too. Her eyes settled on her hand, fingers splayed across to wooden bar as she hunched over. She never should have opened her mouth. She never should have come. What the hell were they going to talk about that wasn't going to depress one another? Life stories of shinobi were like a field of strung up exploding tags. Once one thread was pulled, the whole thing could explode in your face. She couldn't ask him about the rumors, and if he asked about Hayate, what was she going to say? No one asked about her dead lover, not even after he died. They all knew her grief was profound, and because of it, no one ever ask her to put her grief into words. What that something she could do if Takeo asked? Sasaki didn't know as the wood under her hand felt warmer than her own skin.

This was a mistake.

And yet, her thoughts stopped as soon as she felt his fingers tentatively touch the back of her palm. Sasaki didn't move to stop him, watching as he clasped her hand in his. Her breath came out in a shudder of words, the tension gone with them, "I won't ask about your parents if you don't ask about mine."

Takeo nodded, pouring them both another round of drinks with one free hand, "Nothing about genin days either."

"Or mentors."

"Or forbidden jutsus."

"Or past lovers."

"What does that leave then?" he asked, looking somewhat hopeful as he glanced at her. Her frown worsened while falling silent. It didn't leave much to talk about at all. Sasaki's thoughts snapped as his thumb brushed her knuckles, drawing her attention. Takeo smiled slightly, not meeting her eyes, "Well, you could explain the sketch pad I saw you with the other day . . ."

Ever so slowly, a smile crept up from the corners of Sasaki's mouth to her eyes till she nearly beamed at him. So, now they had a topic.

* * *

Kurenai looked grimly at the drinks that were poured and passed around the table by Raidou before he took a seat as well. Apparently, the woman he had tried to flirt with wasn't flattered, adding one more to their growing audience. As much as she hated to admit it, Genma was right. If both Kakashi and Sakura were involved with Takeo now, even as friends, they needed to know. She just didn't think the three of them would be telling their tale in a public bar. It was a story meant for being shared behind closed doors and not so casually over drinks. As soon as the sake hit her cup, she drank it then reached for the decanter to pour another. The kunoichi was about to drink that one too till her lover stopped her hand, "Later."

She nodded at Asuma, and glanced across the table to Gai and Genma, "You two start."

"Kimura Takeo . . . What have you two even heard about him?" the senbon sucker asked while looking down at the Copy nin and the pink-haired woman on his lap.

"I stay out of the rumor mills, you know that," Kakashi said, still frowning from before, "Unless it deals with me and mine, I don't care what anyone says."

Sakura's brow furrowed, twisting slightly to look at him, "I take it I fall in the latter category then?"

He blinked at her, "Why do you want to know?"

"Because there's a lot of talk about us as it is, which makes what you said very-," she started to say till Genma cut her off, "Blossom, ask about your own rumors later? One dirty topic at a time, eh?"

She sighed, leaning back against the silver-haired jounin, "I've heard a few things, none of which were flattering. Honestly, if I had thought he was trouble, I wouldn't have brought him at all."

"What were these rumors about, Sakura?" Kakashi asked. The kunoichi froze, slowly looking down. He really didn't know? How could he not know? A feeling of dread welled up in her stomach. How was she ever going to tell him? It was just a rumor wasn't it? It couldn't be true. "Sakura?" he asked again, the worry rising in his voice.

"It's just a rumor. I don't believe, but it's what I heard . . ." she started to say, reach for her drink on the table, then stopped, balling her hand up into a fist, "I heard from Ino that, well . . . a lot of people think of him as being worse than Genma and Anko."

"Hey!" the two said in unison and fury, hands slamming the table. Sakura rolled her eyes then continued, glancing down at the table, "It's just part what I've heard, that if he isn't actively seducing someone that he's well . . . promiscuous. I don't believe it at all, and looking at the way he's acted around other people, I can't see a reason for that rumor."

"What other rumors are there?" Kakashi asked.

She fidgeted nervously, "Like the one Sasaki told me that he might swing both ways?"

A loud gasp pierced the air around the table coming from Anko, her mouth hanging wide open in shock. The two men across from her snickered yet stopped when she turned towards the noise. "This isn't funny!" she screeched, pounding the table, "You assholes could have warned me if you knew that he was hitting for the other team!"

"I didn't know, I swear!" Genma shouted, throwing his hands up in defense as she lashed out towards him from her seat. Sakura sighed, watching the fight eventually dwindle down till Anko slumped in her chair pouting. "It's just a rumor anyway . . ." she added, as if that fact was some consolation, "But it could be true. He is a little too pretty."

"That is nice to know, but I don't think that's why the three of you would 'care' so much about Takeo," Kakashi muttered, peeking over Sakura's shoulder, "I'll ask again. What other rumors are there?"

The pink-haired woman cringed a moment, but he didn't notice since she was turned away from him. Her head slowly tilted downwards as she spoke, "He . . . he has used that jutsu of his on people in the village against their will . . . raped people, but has never been charged, that the Hokage is protecting him for some reason."

For a moment, Sakura felt the ninja under her go stiff, "That's . . . that's impossible."

"Is it?" Kurenai asked suddenly, pulling her hand free from Asuma's grip, "Is it really? You've seen it in practice, haven't you? That forbidden jutsu of his? 'Mutual friends' and all right? It is possible, isn't it?"

Anko gasped from the opposite end of the table, looking at the stone cold expressions on the faces surrounding her, "But did he-? Doesn't that mean he-? Is that why-?"

"No, Mitarashi, he did not do what you are thinking to any of us, but . . ." the taijutsu master started before trailing off, "It is complicated."

"Damned straight it is," Genma said as he took a drink, finishing it, "I need another."

"It would be impossible for him to do what you're all accusing him of, because . . ." Kakashi trailed off, like he was trying to come up with a good excuse till he blurted out instead, "Because it just is. He is mysterious, granted, but he isn't a monster. He would never have survived this long as a shinobi if he was. I've seen him use that jutsu, but it has never gone that far. And given what it does, I don't even think he likes using it. Who honestly would?"

"Have you seen his file?" Kurenai asked, her eyebrows arched quizzically.

"That's beside the point right now, isn't it?"

"No, it is the point," Gai interrupted, pointing a finger at his rival, "You are the captain of a team, ANBU no less. All captains may see the mission histories of their team members, even in black ops. Have you seen Kimura Takeo's file or not, Kakashi?"

He sunk back in his chair, ignoring the pink-haired kunoichi on his lap a moment, "I haven't . . ."

"And why not?" Genma asked.

"Because it's sealed . . ." he said harshly, gritting his teeth, "I don't know why, but it just is. What was I to assume?"

"Maybe that the guy knew or had done something worth hiding?" Asuma quipped, "Files are sealed for a reason."

"Every file is sealed for one reason or another. There are at least three people sitting right here with sealed files because of their connections and secrets, not including my own. Let's not forget that Naruto's file is sealed, but most of the village found out about the Nine-Tailed Fox Demon anyway. Everything on Sound and Atatsuki is sealed. Anything with the name Uchiha on it is now sealed too. Every clan has their own records of their own member's histories that captains can't get to. Even my mentor's mission history is sealed. Really, given how much information is on a need-to-know basis only except for the people who lived through it, I didn't think much of it. The only information I received from our Hokage was that he possessed a forbidden jutsu that I couldn't copy. What was I supposed to think?"

"You're not very curious, are you?" Sakura asked.

The ninja frowned at her, "My curiosity used to get me in trouble, and yours does to."

Her elbow nudged Kakashi in the ribs, "My curiosity does not get me in trouble! Take that back!"

"No, but it does and did get me in trouble," he said with a chuckle before grabbing her around the waist to hold her still, "Later you'll be in more trouble if you don't stop squirming."

"Your fault," Sakura mumbled under her breath before saying louder, "I still don't see what the problem is with Takeo. I do not believe the rumors, sealed files or otherwise. It just isn't in his personality. He's the most harmless person I've ever met, at least in his private life. So unless, you all know otherwise somehow . . ."

Silence set in again with another round of glances and poured drinks. Dread filled the pit of her stomach, "Ok, maybe you all do know otherwise . . ."

No one said anything, at least not until Anko, who had been frowning throughout most of the conversation, broke in, "This is the point where you all stop beating around the bush and tell us what this means, right?"

"We helped him test that jutsu of his," Genma answered, looking at the trench coat clad woman in the eyes, "Whether we wanted to or not."

"There is a reason his technique has been classified as forbidden, because of both its effectiveness and the chaotic nature of its results, which was why the Sandaime ordered its testing," the taijutsu master added, staring blankly into his empty cup, "We were never told how a child had developed it, or even what it did until the test. I myself assumed that it was a new kekkai genkai that had been discovered, but-."

"It isn't. It's ninjutsu, that's for sure. I told Sasaki when I knew for sure," Kakashi interrupted.

"How is that possible?" Anko asked, her eyebrows furrowed at him.

"It's similar to medical jutsu. His chakra invades the body with a touch and changes its response. But it doesn't seem to be related to genjutsu since it doesn't change a person's perception, at least not actively. The victim knows what they're doing until it is ended or fades, but is practically powerless to stop themselves. I figured out that much with the Sharingan the first time I saw it used. But Tsunade-sama ordered me not to copy it, so . . . how did he come up with it?"

"None of us ever asked. After the test where he preformed it on me, I didn't want to know either," Kurenai said with a shudder that stopped as soon as Asuma's arms encircled her shoulders, "He was only twelve, and I was twenty-four at the time, still a chunin. The Hokage pulled us one at a time from the jounin and chunin ranks along with a few villagers. For my testing, all I did was enter the room and sit. He came in a moment later, this skinny kid with pimples and mangy hair. He looked scared. I wanted to hug him and ask him what was wrong when he took a deep breath and did the handseals, a long string of them. When he touched my shoulder, I-."

She stopped abruptly, taking a ragged breath. Her ruby-colored eyes closed then reopened to look at Kakashi and Sakura before continuing, "I felt like I was on fire. I thought it was genjutsu too, that it wasn't really happening, but the release didn't work. After that, I can't remember if I did anything other than collapsing and writhing on the floor at his feet. I had no way of fighting it, but I wasn't sure I want to fight it. I wanted . . . I wanted him, a boy, and it made me want to claw my own skin off in disgust, yet I couldn't help it . . . I've never felt that way since, like I would die if he touched me, or even if he didn't. He could have asked me anything and I would have answered him. I would have done anything he asked of me, so long as he-."

"That's enough. I think they get the point," Asuma interrupted, continuing for her, "Nothing happened, and he didn't do anything to her after that one touch. After one minute, he let the chakra collapse, and it was over. She . . ."

"I passed out. When I woke up, the boy was gone. Afterwards, the Sandaime personally debriefed me, wanted to know everything that I felt, if I had said anything, done anything that I could remember, but I couldn't tell him much other than what I've told you. When I asked the boy's name, he told me. Kimura Takeo. I . . . I couldn't sleep right for a few weeks after that. I kept having dreams about it, but it was never the boy I remember that I saw in them even if the desire was the same. I felt dirty, to feel something like that for a child."

"Kurenai . . ." Anko started to say softly before frowning in disapproval, "He was just a kid, and a shinobi. And you're a stronger person than that. Everyone at this table has been through a lot worse than one perverted jutsu. It doesn't sound that strong or bad to me, no worse than being subjected to one of Uzumaki's naughty techniques, anyway."

"He was still a child, and scared to death of something. I didn't agree with it then, and I still don't, but . . . I trusted our Hokage-sama to know what was right for Konoha, and I trust Tsunade-sama to continue to do that," the brown-hair kunoichi sighed, looking away from the other woman and leaning closer to her lover, "It doesn't make me feel better though thinking that something worse could have happened if that jutsu had been in the hands of someone more dangerous than a genin."

"It isn't that simple either, sweetheart," Genma fidgeted, unable to look at Anko anymore, "That's just one reaction to that fucking jutsu of his."

"Enlighten me."

"When he hit me with it, I attacked him."

From the way the senbon-sucker's fingers played with the rim of his cup, and the way he avoided looking at anyone, the implied meaning wasn't that he had attacked with a well-placed right hook. Genma continued before any of them could ask, "I don't remember what happened after I got a hold of the kid. I just blanked. Afterwards, I didn't remember anything other than just talking with the Hokage afterwards, hearing the kid's name, and that he was fine. Apparently nothing happened anyway. I didn't feel fine after that, though."

"You must have gone before me then in the testing," Gai added suddenly before taking a deep breath, "I was strung with wire to a chair by Morino-san before having the jutsu applied . . . I broke the chair before the interrogator stepped in and subdued me. I woke up in the hospital, but I never remembered all of what happened either. I have tried not to let it plague me, but like Kurenai, I haven't forgotten what almost could have happened . . ."

Kakashi suddenly reached for his drink, tossing it back quickly. It made sense now. When Takeo had used it on their one unwilling victim, the man nearly assaulted him. Maybe the jutsu was gender sensitive? Or maybe temperament sensitive? If their teammate used it on someone truly dangerous and violent, what could happen? His fingers drummed worriedly on the porcelain. No wonder the man's file was seal. No wonder there were rumors. No wonder Takeo kept quiet about his personal life. No wonder Kakashi's gut kept telling him that he didn't want to delve into the other man's business. How did he discover it at so young an age in the first place? What else could have happened to the man? Anything possibly could have happened to Takeo, and it opened up a lot of questions the Copy nin really didn't want to know the answers to.

He just never expected any of those answers and new questions to be coming from people he thought he knew well.

Sakura had stopped fidgeting on his lap to sit chillingly still, but he hadn't really noticed, too far gone into his own head. Suddenly, she twisted in his arms to sit with her side against his chest, pulling lightly at his mask to get his attention. He wasn't fazed, appearing as indifferent as ever even if she could almost hear the wheels moving in that head of his. "Kakashi . . ." she said softly as the table around them seemed more interested in their drinks and woes to notice the pair, "Say something?"

What was there to say? His dark eye unfocused then caught on her green pair. She was worried, naturally. She wasn't alone. Slowly, Kakashi closed his eyes, somehow resigned to the fact that there was no denying the revelation now, "How long?"

"How long what?" Genma asked back, breaking out of his stupor.

"How long did the testing go on? And why?"

"It happened that summer about 15 years ago. It lasted for about a month," Gai answered, "You weren't around because you were out of Fire Country at the time."

"I remember that mission too," Kakashi said with a slight nod, sliding his arm around Sakura. She didn't seem to mind, placing her head on his shoulder. "But why?" he asked softly, just for her ears to hear.

That was the same question going through her head. Why was Takeo and his story seemingly shrouded in darkness and mystery? Maybe Ino's instinct was right and there was something off about him. To developed such a jutsu at a young age, he was either a perverse genius, dangerous, or . . . something else. "I don't know . . . I don't think anyone but the Sandaime would know, or Takeo's files . . ." the cherry blossom admitted, looking down at her empty hands, before asking louder, "Yet, why would the Sandaime go to the trouble of hiding the testing and sealing his file?"

"All I can think of is that the testing was to prove something about the jutsu or Takeo, to give them some reason to seal the knowledge of it," Kakashi theorized, shrugging his shoulders, "It's why all of Orochimaru's techniques were sealed when he left Konoha, to keep people from asking too many questions of what he had done."

"Just not all of his techniques died with him," Anko added, taking another sip of her sake, "A forbidden jutsu doesn't have to be inherently evil, or deadly to the user. It could have been sealed and the research stopped to just save face."

"I don't follow," Raidou interjected, "What was there to save face about a seduction technique?"

"Think about it. No one has ever tried to actively develop a seduction jutsu before out of worrying over one's own honor, and yet this kid did just that. Really, how many of us have thought to use ninjutsu to seduce an enemy without really attempting proper seduction?"

No one answered her.

At the silence, her cup hit the table, ready to be refilled, "I didn't think so. It's not something most ninjas want to use except for perhaps a few well-trained kunoichi. Admit it. Everyone here at this table would rather skulk and slaughter their way through an enemy base than sleep their way inside, especially you men. But it works too, doesn't it?"

"You don't have to tell us your thoughts on the subject of sex and ninjas, Anko. Most of us already know," Genma said, pulling her cup away before she could pour another, "You've had enough for now."

"No, I haven't, and I'm not done on this subject either," she glared as him, forehead creased, "That's the ironic thing about sex. Everyone has it, but no one wants to talk about it, honestly, as a tactic or in general. And anyone who would do such a thing obviously gets an instant reputation as a pervert or a whore. No one wants that, right?"

Kakashi scowled, not really liking the direction the snake-charmer was taking, "The point, Anko?"

"The point is this. Why Takeo's jutsu was sealed and is on a need-to-know basis is simple. The Hokage doesn't want everyone to know that such a person is in Konoha's arsenal. Everyone saw the way he acted here tonight. If you all hadn't known already about his capabilities, none of you would have had any idea he could charm the pants off any of you at any given moment. If he hadn't been dressed up the way he was, I wouldn't have even guessed. It's sheer brilliance."

"I don't think so," Kakashi interrupted, "It's one of the worst kept secrets then if that's the reason since everyone in the village's rumor-mongering knows the name and the attached reputation. Only Naruto's secret is more widespread. No, it had to be sealed for some other reason."

"What ever the reasons, there is no denying that someone wanted knowledge of the man kept from the majority of the village," Gai added, nodding emphatically with his rival's assessment, "He is ANBU, is he not? There are enough secrets in black ops that no one wants the rest of the village to know."

A single silver eyebrow quirked upwards, the wheels turning again in Kakashi's mind. He always did wonder why Takeo was in ANBU. He lacked the killer instinct that was critical in an operative. Aside from his signature ninjutsu move, and intelligence, none of his skills were spectacular, not even his fighting technique with the sai. And yet, somehow, he had made it into the black ops. Then again, Sakura didn't have that instinct either, or the deadliest of techniques, but she had passed the exam as well on sheer willpower.

Techniques weren't everything to a ninja.

No matter how he looked at the story his friends told though, it still didn't explain why Takeo was the way he was, or if it was a threat to his team. Unless there was something else he didn't know . . . "Is there anything else I should know about him?" Kakashi asked, looking wearily at the rest of the table, "Since you three seem to know more about him than I do."

"And whose fault is that?" Sakura groused in a whisper, eyebrows arched at him.

The Copy nin frowned, muttering under his breath. "Not now. I'll take being called an idiot sometime after all of this has sunk in."

"I don't understand why you two were so hard on him. It sounds more like you both have more reason to feel weary around the guy than to condemn him," Raidou interrupted, pointing toward Genma and Gai.

"I am more concerned about what these rumors are connected to, that there is some truth to them. The man has not helped his case in my eyes by being a recluse, as if he is hiding something," the taijutsu master said before glancing down at his rival, "Even Kakashi is not so aloof as he is."

"That almost sounded like a compliment, Gai, but don't confuse aloof with anti-social."

The green-clad ninja visibly bristled at the correction, but continued anyway, "Kimura-san has yet to prove to anyone let alone myself that he is anything but what the gossips say he is."

"That's still condemning him before you even know him," Sakura replied, crossing her arms over her chest, "Probably why he keeps to himself in the first place. He's harmless. I've seen it myself."

The tip of Genma's senbon swirled through the air, "Do you really know that, cherry blossom? He could have been just trying to convince you of that. Most of us are pretty good actors and actresses after all when duty calls."

"But why would he lie then?" Kakashi asked in reply, but no one answered. After a few silent moments, he went on, "None of what any of you are speculating is adding up to much except more speculation."

Anko sighed, grabbing a decanter and shaking it to confirm that they were out of sake. Aggravated, she ruffled her fingers through her dark hair and growled, "This is entirely too much serious discussion for too much drinking. No one else has added anything new as fact, so we can all assume that since the testing, the three of you know exactly jack and shit about this guy Kimura Takeo. Right?"

The silence only confirmed the kunoichi's summarization.

"What are you going to do, Kakashi?" Genma asked suddenly, mulling over his drink, "You can't lie and tell us you aren't the least bit curious about this man now, or . . . perhaps territorial?"

Usually, such a question posed to the Copy nin would have been answered with an indifferent shrug, but the last part of the senbon-sucker's question bristled the back of his neck in irritation. And if he was irritated, Sakura was livid, "Genma, if you imply one more word tonight, I swear I'll ram that stinking senbon so far down your throat you'll be-!"

"That's enough, cherry blossom, I think he gets the point quite well," Kakashi interrupted her threat, "For your information, I don't plan to do anything."

The head of the woman on his lap whipped around quickly, her pink hair nearly slapping him in the face, "What? Nothing? . . . Really, you plan to do nothing?"

"Was some form of what I said not clear?"

"But, Kakashi, what about-?"

He put a finger over her lips, knowing that the next word out of her mouth would be a name, the name of their other teammate to be exact, Sasaki. He tried not to frown at her, but couldn't help letting his eye droop ever so slightly in disappointment. The concern for the second kunoichi on their team was clear on Sakura's face. But really, if the pink-haired woman had heard the rumors too, then she shouldn't have been trying to play matchmaker to start. That was another matter though, not one he wanted to pursue in public with her still on his lap. "If it becomes a problem with our teamwork, I'll handle it," he said ambiguous to her before turning back to the rest of the table, "I don't care if the rest of you have a problem with him or not either. He's still a 'mutual friend'."

"It is not so much a problem that I have with the man as it is what I said earlier," Gai added, his eyes shifting sideways till he jumped in his seat, rattling the table. The taijutsu master glared across towards Anko who glared back.

"You were angry enough by his presence to almost leave, Maito. Don't backpedal now," the kunoichi smirked, reaching for her drink while hold her head a little higher, "I still think you're all making a lot out of nothing. It makes a good mystery, sex, forbidden techniques, and secrecy. He really didn't seem like the type to have that in him. I kind of respect the man now . . ."

"But he might have-," Asuma started to interrupt till he was interrupted himself by the pair across from him, "Rumor."

"Well, it still doesn't dispel the fact that the man is not entirely what he seems," Gai said with a nod, crossing his arms over his chest as he looked down the table towards his rival and the cherry blossom, "I would advise you both to be careful around Kimura-san."

"Thank you, Gai," Sakura said with a false smile that faulted when Kakashi shifted under her muttering, "We'll take it into advisement."

Genma snorted, "You never know what could happen though . . . Just watch your ass around him."

Silence once again reigned at the table, but for entirely different, and thoroughly unintentionally implied, reasons. Unable to hold it anymore, Sakura burst out in silly laughter first, followed by the other women present as the men groaned till the entire table was roaring in hysterics. The only one who wasn't laughing was Kakashi, who muttered, "Very funny. Thanks, Genma."

"I didn't mean it that way, I swear!" he shouted, looking around nervously for weapons before flashing a wide grin, "Who would want your sarcastic, old, perverted ass anyway?"

Laughter overtook the table again. The Copy nin glared dangerously at the senbon-sucker, and started to push up from his chair. He didn't get very far as Sakura leveraged her weight around his neck, pushing him back down, "Not tonight. Kill him later."

"You are supposed to be digging your way out of your early grave, not making it deeper," Gai added, snorting in laughter still. Despite himself, Genma ducked his head to avoid the silver-haired man's glare, unable to stop chuckling at his own joke. Eventually, he looked back up, raising his hands defensively, "Ok, ok. This time I really am sorry . . . but you gotta admit it was funny!"

The stare of Kakashi's dark eye told Genma that no, his joke wasn't funny at all. And yet, the Copy nin stopped giving the senbon-sucker lethal looks as soon as he felt Sakura's arms tightening over his neck. Perched precariously, her lips brushed his mask-covered cheek, distracting him from the rest of the table to murmur curiously as her. "Don't listen to him. He's wrong anyway . . ." she giggled in his ear, fidgeting in his lap again, "Since there's at least one person that does want your sarcastic, old, perverted ass."

It didn't take a genius to figure out whom she meant, especially with the wiggle of her hips.

If her words were aimed to distract him by turn him on, she was much too effective. Takeo who? Why was he important again? And why did he want to kill Genma again? Even if Kakashi wanted to remember the discussion, which he didn't, the feel of the woman on his lap was much too alluring to bother him with such things team troubles. And yet, it was too early for him to be letting himself be seduced, not when they had the whole night ahead of them. Uncomfortable, but for entirely different reasons, he shifted in the chair and tried to relax again, "Tell me that again later, will you?"

"Why?" Sakura asked, nuzzling the side of his face, "Don't you want to hear more now?"

Under the mask, a grin twitched on his lips, "I'm flattered, but it's still early in the evening. And besides . . ."

As Kakashi's voice trailed off so did his hand, sliding down from the kunoichi's waist to over her hip. The tip of his finger traced an invisible line in the silken brocade where her panties would have been if she wore any. Her breath caught in a shudder, and he chuckled darkly, "I want to enjoy this while it lasts."

Sakura pulled away enough to look in his eye, her lower lip catching between her teeth, "Kakashi . . ."

For a moment, his hand came up to pull on the mask as he leaned in slightly, but stopped as Kurenai cleared her voice, "Do we need to separate you two?"

The cherry blossom sat up straight, turning a shade as lovely as her hair while he chuckled from behind her shoulder, "Since when did you become motherly protective?"

"Since every genin team I pass seems to discover the opposite gender as soon as they finish their first mission," she said with a half-hearted smile, glancing towards Asuma, whose arm was still slung around her, "Did I tell you the latest? I don't believe these kids!"

"I hear a story coming on," Raidou chuckled. Sakura giggled, her blush finally dying down as the older kunoichi launched into her tale. Half-listening, and half-not, her green eyes drifted from the faces of friends around her to the rest of the bar. It was a shame that Takeo left, and that Sasaki hadn't shown up. If things had been different, she was positive they both would have liked the group of jounin gathered there. No matter what Kurenai, Gai, or Genma had experienced under the man's jutsu, she still refused to believe that the rumors were true. The gut sense of rightness in her still felt the same, tempered with rising dread. If only things had been different.

Sakura took a deep breath and slowly let it out then glanced up to the bar's low ceiling while trying not to frown. Who knew anyway? Maybe Takeo found Sasaki before returning to hiding, or maybe he didn't. Whatever happened now would happen, and when it passed, it would pass. Whether good or bad, she had done what she could for the both of them, even if it felt like failure.

* * *

To Be Continued in Lesson 10 of The Way of the Sword, Toeing the Line. 


	11. Toeing the Line

The Way of the Sword

A Naruto fanfiction, By Serenanna

Lesson 10 – Toeing the Line

Warnings and Disclaimers: I don't own Naruto or any of the characters. I'm just borrowing them to play with. I'll return them later, promise. There is adult content, and sexual situations in this story involving sharp, pointy objects. So, if you're under 18, leave now before your virgin eyes are scarred forever, if you're over 18, enjoy!

Story Notes: This is a Kakashi/Sakura fic, while other pairings may come and go. This story is a continuation of Ronsmyhero's Respect and Understanding. Reading that fic is a good idea in order to understand this one as there will be references from it. It was with her knowledge and stamp of approval . . . but I've since lost contact with her (Ronsmyhero, if you're reading this, e-mail me!). Mulling my options, I am going to continue as planned.

In case she ever makes her own sequel, this is an AU take. I know a fanfic of a fanfic probably isn't a good idea, but I'm giving it a whirl. Ronsmyhero, this is in honor of you.

All warnings and such still apply! Refer to other chapters for full notes.

* * *

Sasaki giggled then burst out in silly laughter, covering her mouth so that the sound wasn't too loud in the already noisy bar. Takeo chuckled, wincing in embarrassment as he leaned over the counter. "I can't believe they did that to you!" the purple-haired woman blurted out, looking slightly mortified and apologetic at the same time, "I'm sorry. If I knew that they would have dressed you up like this, I would have put a stop to it . . . if I could."

"Don't apologize. It isn't the big of a deal," the ninja said with a quick glance up at her before his sight fell right back down to his cup of sake, "From what I've seen tonight of Sakura-chan, nothing short of an army could stop her once she's set her mind on something."

He, of course, had no idea how right his assessment of their sometimes stubborn and willful teammate was. Sasaki snorted in laughter, grinning widely as she shook her head, "I should confess. I didn't turn down her help in getting you here tonight when she volunteered it. But even if I did, I'm sure she still would have dragged you out anyway."

"It doesn't matter, I'm here now," Takeo said, finding once again that he was staring at her from his spot on the corner of the bar. He quickly looked away before she could notice, fidgeting on the stool. For the life of him, he didn't want to keep looking at her, and yet, somehow his eyes continued to drift up towards her face. It felt like he was stealing glances, and he probably was, but for some odd reason he couldn't help it. If Sasaki noticed, she didn't let on, smiling slightly while resting her cheek on her hand, "Well, at least it explains why you look so dressed up tonight."

Takeo coughed, hiding the chuckles that he couldn't suppress completely, "Dressed up or trussed up like a lamb to the slaughter?"

She giggled, "It isn't that bad . . . especially the pants."

As soon as the comment passed her lip, a crimson flush spread so swiftly over Sasaki's face that she looked like she'd been dipped in red. His mouth dropped open in shock then closed again, mulling over her seemingly accidental admission as his eyebrows arched. She like his pants . . . which could be taken in quite a few ways. "I really didn't mean it like that. I mean, they're nice, different, but nice. It's not something you see often, and I always liked different. I don't know why, it's just me maybe. It probably helps that you have good legs too-," she rambled on before catching herself, gasping loudly before slapping a hand over her mouth, ". . . shit."

A wide grin spread across Takeo's face before he slowly nodded, "It's ok, Saki-chan. I already know I have good legs."

She groaned in mortification, "It's just the sake talking, I swear. You're nice, but really, it means absolutely nothing. We're just friends."

And yet, the kunoichi was still blushing. He chuckled, reaching across move the half empty cup away from her, "Then, as your friend, I'm thinking you've had enough. I think we've both had enough of you embarrassing yourself."

"I do not do it all the time! At least not on purpose . . ." Sasaki admitted, a slight tinge of pink still coloring her cheeks, "No one's perfect I guess."

"Least of all the two of us."

"I'd drink to that, if you hadn't taken my drink."

"It was for your own good," Takeo scolded, nodding emphatically, "It wouldn't be proper if I let you drink me under the table."

Sasaki started to giggle then burst out in laughter again. They really needed to stop doing this. Since the sake had started to flow, so had the teasing and jokes till she felt almost weak from laughing so much. And yet, she couldn't deny enjoying watching the way his sapphire eyes kept darting around her or how he grinned. The sight of the single dimple on one corner of his mouth was too adorable to miss, lop-sided compared to the rest of his pretty features. Takeo must have caught her staring as he blinked, looking quizzically into her eyes when the laughter stopped. She looked away, shifting on her stool and tucking a wayward purple lock behind her ear, "So, what are you working on now?"

He blinked at her question, looking even more confused, "Excuse me?"

"The notebook, from the other day, I assumed you were writing something?"

The ninja's eyes widened slightly, sitting up on his stool a little straighter, "Oh that . . ." he waved a dismissive hand and relaxed, "You don't want to hear about that."

"Yes, I do."

"No, you don't. It's nothing."

"Yes, it is something, and I want to know. You asked about my sketching, and now you know I paint too thanks to my favorite pair of paint-splattered jeans, so it's only fair that you tell me about your secret hobby."

"It isn't a secret," Takeo asserted, his eyes narrowing slightly, "And it isn't much of a hobby."

"Then why won't you tell me about it?" Sasaki asked, not letting the topic drop no matter how much he shifted in his seat to avoid her gaze. His fingers played with cup, accidentally slipping into the sake before cursing to himself. Why was she so persistent? It wasn't that important, really . . . was it? Slumping slightly, he shrugged, "It's nothing, really. I've decided to shelve that particular one anyway."

From the raise of her eyebrows, he knew the admission had only raised her curiosity. He groaned, "Ok, I write stories as a hobby, but I've begun to hate the one I'm currently trying to finish. It . . . it isn't ending up the way I'd hoped, so I think I'll start a new one."

Her face spread into a smile, leaning towards him in interest, "Will you tell me what this new one is about?"

For a moment, Takeo seemed to be considering her request, thoughtfully scratching the hair behind his ear until he stopped to look at her. There was something playfully mischievous in his eyes that made the hairs on the back of Sasaki's neck rise up in warning. He wanted something that much was obvious from the way it grinned. It made her sit up straighter under his scrutiny, waiting for what he had to say with a knot of nervousness tightening in her chest. "If I show you mine, will you show me yours?" he asked quietly.

He had to be teasing her again from the way the words seductively rolled off of his tongue. The mere sound made her toes curl. It also made her want to believe certain things that were very much against her better judgment. The blush across her cheeks slowly crept over her face and down her neck. She had to stop thinking about sex, especially about sex and the shinobi across from her. It was perhaps the fifth time that night that the thought had popped into her already troubled mind, teasing her with ideas about what she didn't want and knew she couldn't have. Really, she wanted nothing more than to be his friend, but . . . she'd be damned if the thought of unlacing those leather pants of his didn't affect her.

Ok, maybe she had been staring at him with each flash of leg. And maybe her eyes couldn't stay off his ass when he left briefly for the men's room. But then again, every woman there that night seemed to look at the dark-haired ninja when he passed. It meant nothing to her, personally really. She could explain it all away as just a natural reaction to a man that looked much too good in leather . . . and half-naked. A mild curse ran through her head, along with more denials. He was just her friend. Sasaki took in a sharp breath, relieving some of the flush of her cheeks as he chuckled, seemingly oblivious to her thoughts.

He meant her paintings after all, nothing more than that.

"I really can't show you. I never really show the canvases to anyone," she said once she had control of her voice, "It's just something I do anyway, outside of our work."

Takeo nodded, appearing to sober up to seriousness, "That's one thing we have in common then. I don't like talking about my work either, but for different reasons I think."

"Why's that?"

He avoided looking at her, glancing down at the wooden bar instead, "Because I keep changing the plot. Whenever I start writing something new, I always think the story will go one way, but by the end, it never turns out the way I would have hoped."

Sasaki's eyebrows scrunched together quizzically at his comment. It sounded like there was a deeper meaning to what he said, like some secret reference only he was privileged to. Whatever it was, she was confident that he wouldn't tell her, at least not tonight. Like the list of things they had decided not to ask one another, some things were better left unasked and unanswered. "I'm not a writer, but maybe you just shouldn't try so hard to make the ending you want?" she offered, ducking her head a little to meet his eyes.

When his sapphire pair locked on hers, Takeo slowly smiled. Her heart clenched in her chest if only for a moment. It was there again on the corner of his mouth, the lop-sided dimple, and the one imperfection on an otherwise perfect man, the one feature of his that was quickly becoming his most endearing trait to her at least. Sasaki's dark eyes darted down again before he could accuse her of staring; eyeing the drink of sake he had pushed away instead. While she had the grace to look away, she could still feel his eyes on her, a burning presence tingling at the base of her neck as if he was looking for something under her skin. No, he wasn't interested in her, he couldn't possibly be flirting with her, and he certainly wasn't about to start trying to get into her panties. Nope, nope, and nope. But then again, with enough sake, she wasn't so sure that she could keep herself from really flirting back.

Takeo pushed the cup of sake back in front of her, "Maybe one more drink for the both of us, before we call it a night."

She took the small porcelain vessel almost reluctantly, glancing between the clear alcohol and his eyes. He raised the cup across from him as well after refilling it, holding it in the air. Sasaki did the same, knowing a toast was coming next. "To friends," he said with a nod, "Because friends seem to know when you need a drink."

The purple-haired woman laughed softly before joining him, her eyes still following him from over the edge of her cup. If Sasaki was sure of one thing that night, it was that being friends with the gorgeous, dark-haired ANBU operative with the geeky home life was turning out to be the most fun she had in ages.

* * *

Sakura bit her lip, keeping her eyes off of the other shinobi around them and focused solely on the cup of sake in front of her. It was all she could do to keep her composure from falling to itty bitty pieces. It was also all she could do from killing the man whose lap she sat on, well, from figuratively killing him anyway.

Damn Kakashi and his perverse sense of the erotic. One year ago, her old self would have died of shame at the mere suggestion of near public exposure, let alone gone through with his desires. And yet, that was all of one year ago, when she would have called anyone crazy for suggesting that the Copy nin, in all his tardiness, hardass-ness, aloof, smarmy, and perverse tastes in literature, was the type of man for her. Now, it was as logical and necessary as breathing.

She bit the inside of her cheek, and sucked in a breath before shuddering it out again. The hand on Sakura's thigh moved a little higher and a little closer to her center. She quivered, aching to finally be touched.

Damn him.

It had started innocently enough about an hour after the topic for discussion at that week's gathering turned from Takeo to the latest antics of Kurenai's genin team. The conversation had swung again back to Anko's man problems, and Sakura's selective hearing began to block it out. She didn't need to know what the trench coat-wearing kunoichi wanted to do to Iruka-sensei in such graphic detail, yet again. What had started as an exciting evening was turning out to be rather boring and a-typical of the group of jounins.

That was until she felt Kakashi's hand on her hip. Sakura stiffened, and tried to ignore the touch. His fingers were light on the silk anyway, as if he hadn't meant to touch her at all. And yet, that thought was shattered when he moved the hand to touch the black frogs clasped over her left hip, slipping underneath the material with the pop of one button.

His face nuzzled the back of her neck, slowly rolling down the mask, and she knew what he had planned.

It was no surprise when he abruptly pushed their chair in. Last thing either of them wanted was to get caught. All Raidou had to do was look over at them, just once, and the entire bar would know that the Copy nin had his hand under the cherry blossom's green and gold dress. Yet, it felt like he was doing so much more to her than just the simple fact of having his hand on her burning skin. The more he touched, the more she unconsciously moved, and the more she moved, the more sensitive she became to everything she pressed against. The hard creases of his pants seemed magnified even if she'd been sitting on them for some time now. Even the lump she had noticed earlier seemed to feel more noticeable, but then again, she also had an idea of what exactly that was.

The reminder brought her thoughts back to the hand trying to reach up her dress, and why she wanted to kill him in the first place. Damn him. Couldn't he at least give her a reason why they were risking their already nearly-scandalous, yet still honorable, reputations with something even more worthy of scandal? "Why are you doing this?" she asked in a whisper, turning her head slightly.

Kakashi's nose stayed buried in her short hair, breathing in the scent, "Because . . ."

That wasn't much of an answer. Her inner self kept contesting that an answer didn't matter anyway so long as his hand finally touched her and that she didn't decide to scream, but still, answer would have been nice. Damnit, if they were going to get caught being this reckless in public and around friends, she deserved an answer, "Kakashi . . ."

His lips brushed the fine hairs under the back of her neck, moving aside the high collar. Sakura bit her lip, blood pounding in her ears so strongly that she almost didn't hear him, "Because all I could think about during Tenten's wedding party was you in this dress, how much I wanted to take you home to take it off of you."

"But you did get the dress off of me when we got home . . ."

"But now I want to know what it's like with the dress still on."

The kunoichi's heart flip-flopped with a near skipped beat while her cheeks turned crimson. Now was an answer worth being reckless over.

Sakura couldn't help shifting her hips again, the moan in her throat dying in a whimper that was nearly inaudible while her eyes never left the grain of the table. Kakashi's breath was loud in her ear, hitching each time she unintentionally moved. Her legs were coaxed open as much as possible in the narrow skirt of the dress, straining the material. He pulled the silk out of the way to slide his hand back and forth along the inside of her thighs, and she gripped the edge of the table.

He was so close, and yet so achingly far away at the same time. She wanted to be touched, badly, nearly shivering in need the longer he took. They could have been caught at any moment. All it took was one person to notice, someone to look at them too long, or some question to break her concentration on being absolutely still, and they'd be caught. His fingers inched closer with all the sureness and cool control only he possessed. Couldn't his hands ever shake in need, once? Her spine nearly shook as it was from being held perfectly poised. He had to know that since she was practically pressed against his chest, didn't he?

She wanted to scream when his fingers finally tangled in the fine, pink curls over her folds, but she blinked slowly instead. It felt more potent for such a barely there caress than it should have, making her nerves jolt to attention. Teasingly light on her wet skin, she slowly breathed normally again under his touch. She was a kunoichi. She had been in worst high-pressure situations in the past. With the supreme confidence in the world, Sakura was sure she could handle being felt up like that without the whole bar knowing.

And yet, when Kakashi slipped the tip of a finger over her clit, that confidence melted away as quickly as shaved ice fallen on a sidewalk in the middle of the summer sun, and she was the dripping puddle that remained.

The entire bar seemed to stop momentarily except for the two of them and the torrent that sparked through the kunoichi's raw nerves, or at least it felt like it had.

Somehow, she managed to keep it all inside . . . except for a squeak.

"Are you ok?" Kurenai asked at the sound, an eyebrow arched quizzically.

Sakura's eyes hesitantly looked up from the sake to the woman, wondering if she could tell. She should have been able to tell, right? Her breath was nowhere near normal, and her eyes surely must have been glazed over. Couldn't she see the buckets of sweat rolling down her extra-wide forehead? Was she blind? Were all of them blind? Her mouth opened to answer, but nothing came out at first, not until Kakashi finally stopped moving his damned hand. Yet, her heart sunk at the loss, swallowed down with the lump in her throat. Gah, why did he have to stop? And just when it felt so deliciously good too! She could have handled it, couldn't she? That was a question Sakura didn't want to chance. Possibly, the Copy nin felt the same way. "I'm fine. Just a hiccup," the pink-haired woman muttered quickly, forcing a smile on her face.

The ruby-eyed woman looked at her skeptically a moment, then nodded and turned towards Asuma, ignoring them once again.

She barely had time to exhale when she felt Kakashi's fingers delve into her folds, sliding with ease towards her center. Sakura's breath caught sharply, her hips rolling unconsciously into the touch. He bit lightly at the back of her neck, making her squirm more as he chuckled sinisterly, low and dark, "You're soaking wet. You must be enjoying being on my lap a little too much. Very naughty of you."

Damn him.

Her hands shook from both anger and his design, forcing her to put them under the table out of sight. If she was wet, it was all his doing. He knew exactly what he did to her, like always. Anger burned in the depths of her green eyes as much as desire. He could not be completely unaffected, not with where she sat on him. Sakura stiffened as another finger pressed into her and moved with a coaxing motion. His gloved palm rubbed over the rest of her delicate flesh and clit, adding to the intensity. Her mouth opened of its own accord and for a terrifying moment, she thought that the moan threatening to come out of her throat would resound throughout the whole bar. Yet, the only sound that came from her voice was a whimper. Did anyone hear her? Wincing and shuddering at the same time, she looked up alarmed around the table.

They were all oblivious, still.

Kakashi didn't stop at the noise, moving his fingers in and out as if he had all the time in the world to torment her at his whim. She tried not to stay still, but couldn't help it, shifting around in slow time with his hand. Sakura almost didn't realize what she was doing until the ninja grabbed her hips, pressing her down hard onto his. Her cheeks flared in heat, feeling a definite hard bulge in his pants digging into her rear. His breath panted in her ear, gulping for air, "Do you feel what you do to me, Sakura?"

Of course she could, vividly. Her eyes fell to the sake on the table as a wicked grin spread across her face, "You started it."

The back of his thumb twisted to press into her clit in retaliation only to feel her hips grind back into his as well. This time it was Kakashi that make the noise, a low murmur in the back of his throat stuck between growling and groaning. No, it was definitely a groan he made however low it was.

She stopped her squirming immediately, and looked up to see Anko's eyebrows raised towards them. Sakura's inner self screamed in her head then promptly fainted dead away, her spirit gone. Shit, shit, shit, shit. They were caught, weren't they, and by the last person in creation she wanted to be caught by. The snake-lady grinned slightly, mildly amused in her inebriation, "You ok, Pinkie? Kind of flushed, aren't you?"

Shit. Inner Sakura popped up enough to scream again then fainted once more.

Damned shit.

Kakashi's hand refused to stop and certainly didn't pull back. In fact, she could almost feel his grin on the back of her neck.

Double damned shit.

As eyes started to turn towards them, she did the only thing she could think of. Her hand reached for a decanter of sake to supposedly fill the Copy nin's barely-touched cup. Not looking at what she was doing, she missed, knocking the alcohol over instead with the inside of her wrist.

And as luck would have it, the decanter happened to fall perfectly end over end onto her lap, spilling all over her dress.

Sakura let out a terrible loud screech that instantly had the whole table's attention on them. Kakashi cursed softly in her ear, wrenching his hand out of her dress and his mask back up as he bit off harshly in her ear, "You did that on purpose."

She didn't answer him, moving quickly instead to pick up the fallen container and a few napkins from the pile on the table to blot the mess. The wet paper also conveniently covered the open buttons when she slid off of his lap to stand up, "That was certainly graceful of me. Damnit, and I like this dress too!"

"You ok, Pinkie?" Anko asked again, her dark eyes widening in surprise from across the table.

"No, I'm not ok. I now smell like a bar," she complained dramatically before turning towards the bathrooms in the back, "I'm going to get cleaned up."

"Wait, let me come help-," Kurenai started to rise from her chair to follow her, but stopped when Sakura abruptly stalked off without another word. In spite of all the glances in his direction and the sudden end to his very daring seduction of the pink-haired woman, Kakashi continue to sit in his chair as if nothing had happened, barely noticing the sake that had gotten on his pants as well. At least that was how it looked to everyone else. On the inside, the Copy nin was torn in multiple directions, between unbelievable frustration for being left behind, utter agony not finishing, anger at her for ruining the experience rather abruptly, and lust for still wanting her. He barely noticed anything until Raidou handed him a few napkin, "Are you ok? You got it all over you too."

Of course he wasn't fine, he was still as hard as a rock and left with the bill for once while his cherry blossom retreated to the bathroom, alone, in a stall or by the sink, cleaning her ruined dress, while not wearing any underwear. His fingers twitched involuntarily.

She wasn't wearing any underwear.

He needed to find Sakura.

He took the napkins and started to wipe up the table and his pants, quickly, reacting as if it wasn't highly unusual for a highly-trained medic nin to lose control of her hands. "Must have been all the drinks," Kakashi muttered as he got up from the table, and threw down some money on the table, "You know how little she can hold her liquor. I should probably take her home when she's done. I'll just duck out now and find her. That should be enough to cover us, good night."

The ninja had barely heard the replies of his friends when he started to make hand seals and disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

It took about one minute after the small fog had cleared that anyone at the table dared to say anything. And, of course, it was left up to the senbon-sucker to break the silence, "Anyone else find that entirely too weird?"

"Weird how?" Gai asked, leaning heavily on the table with his chin on his hand.

"That Sakura, with some of the most skilled fingers in all of Konoha, would accidentally topple over a nearly full decanter of sake?"

"She really can't hold her sake, Genma. Alcohol rarely makes one's coordination better, unless you're Rock Lee, my brilliant student."

"Or that she was blushing pinker than her hair a few minutes ago?" Anko pointed out, smirking.

"She does blush that shade occasionally, especially around Kakashi," Kurenai added.

"But isn't it weird that those two hadn't said anything for the past couple of minutes before the accident except for a few noises?" Raidou asked, leaning back in his chair.

"They are both kind of quiet when left alone . . ." Asuma shrugged, "Lost in their own little worlds and in each other I suppose."

Genma reached over to the money Kakashi had deposited on the table, counting the bills. When he finished, he sunk back into his seat with a pondering look on his face, "Or that one-eye would be in such a hurry that he would leave enough money for once?"

The same pondering look fell across the faces of the friends that remained seated. Now that was something to think about.

* * *

"I've been meaning to ask you some," Takeo said suddenly. Sasaki glanced over at him in the darkness, wondering what he could possibly want to ask her.

Their last drink together had turned out to be just that, the last one of the night. She'd barely noticed how late it had gotten till a glance at her watch told her that it was well past midnight already. As soon as she'd announced her intention to leave, Takeo placed enough money on the counter to cover both of their drinks. She hadn't allowed him at first, but he insisted so much that it was quicker to cave than argue. When she went to leave through the canvas panels covering the doorway, the ninja held way clear for her as she stepped into the street, and followed right behind. When she eventually asked what he was doing about one block later, he said that he was walking her home.

The last time anyone ever walked her home, that she could recall, was Hayate on her twenty-fourth birthday when she had gotten so sloshed that he had to really carry her home. Then again, he also lived with her too. No one since ever walked her home from the bar because she never did get overly-drunk again, and that night was no exception. Takeo really did have proper manners after all she supposed.

The night was beautiful for Konohagakure weather. Hardly a cloud graced the sky to blot out the stars, and the moon hung low in a waning crescent. It was such a perfect evening that the main street through the village still had their lanterns lit late into the night while many businesses remained open. Their path was awash in the golden light until they turned down one of the side streets away from the Jounin Building and towards Sasaki's home. The further they got into the residential sections, the sleepier the village became till they were walking only by the dim starlight.

Takeo had been quiet the past few minutes after a pleasant conversation on the restaurants they had passed, which made his sudden statement so sudden. For some reason, the dark-haired man looked down with more interest at his sandals than he did at her. He didn't launch into his question either, as if he was too nervous of what he'd been curious about to even ask it. Sasaki slowly grinned, holding her hands neatly tucked behind her back as they walked, "I've wanted to ask you a few things too, but I don't know if you'll answer them or not."

He snorted in laughter, the sound more harsh than light-hearted, and nodded in agreement, "That's kind of true . . ."

Taking an energetic leap forward, the kunoichi moved in front of him then twirled around, walking backwards, "Alright then. You can ask me one question, anything you want, and I'll answer, no matter what it is."

His eyes widened in surprise at her, the sapphire depths looking bigger than she remembered in the darkness. Takeo's interest was obviously peaked or else he wouldn't have looked at her so intently. Sasaki laughed softly, holding her head a little higher, "It's fine if you don't believe me at my word. I won't blame you."

"It's not that."

"Then you don't trust me?" she asked, eyebrows arched at him as her head tilted slightly.

He waved at her defensively, arms flailing straight out in front of him. "No! No! I do trust you! Really! It's just that . . ." Takeo's voice trailed off as he nervously scratched his hair, looking down again, "It doesn't exactly seem fair of you to offer that when you know I can't do the same."

"And why not?"

The elusive ninja's eyes widened again, but not for the same reason as before. She could see it again, that fear that she'd seen earlier when her arms had been around him. The sight of it gripped her chest in pain, give her reason to be afraid as well. What was he hiding? It couldn't be that bad could it? For a moment, all the rumors she'd heard from Ino filtered through her head. As much as she wanted to block them out, forget they'd even existed and live in blissful denial, they still remained like so-called giant gorillas looming in the room of her mind. What if they were true? What if they weren't? What if it was something else that was even worse? As much as she wanted to know his secrets, she didn't want to know that badly, not at the cost of a newfound friendship. In spite of the fearful look on Takeo's face, she smiled brightly, "I meant what I said. It's a one time offer. Ask me anything you like, and I'll answer. You don't have to answer anything in return."

The fear drained from his face, and he smiled in return. Stepping sideways, he walked beside her again, making Sasaki turn so that she could keep an eye on him from over her shoulder. "Alright, alright . . ." he trailed off, obviously working up the courage from the way he wrung his hand, "When we met, that day in the room when Kakashi was giving out his rule, I always wondered . . . I wondered to myself how you both kept on surviving after the siege. I knew you both lost a teammate in the battle, even if he died a hero, and that both the Captain and his Sakura almost died together. Well, the whole village heard that, but that's beside the point. The point is, I wondered how you both could keep going, surviving after so much had happened to your team. When I met Sakura again tonight, I realized that she is what keeps him alive and strong, but . . . you're still an enigma to me, I guess. What I'm trying to ask is why, after what happened, are you still able to be a ninja?"

The happy look on the purple-haired woman's face fell. So, after all that, that was what he wanted to know. No wonder he didn't want to ask. It was the type of question that wasn't easy to answer, and no, she didn't really want to answer it either. For nearly a minute after Takeo asked, Sasaki walked on in silence with her eyes on her feet, the question bouncing around her mind. Why did she keep moving on with life? After Hayate's funeral alongside the Hokage's, she had asked the same question to herself. Hell, to be perfectly honest, every funeral she had ever attended made her think about that particular question. If she wasn't a shinobi, if her duty wasn't to the protection of her village, how different would her life have been? And what if the same had been true to Hayate? Would he still be alive and sleeping beside her?

But that was all just wishful daydreaming. The past still remained the past after all.

The only thing that remained for her to hold onto was Konoha and her memories, as always. Sasaki's arms dropped from her back to stay at her sides, walking slower as her dark eyes drifted back to Takeo's before self-consciously looking away again, "I move on because I am a shinobi. I am a shinobi to protect what I hold dear, and what I care about most is this place and all the people in it. Until that is gone, I'll continue my way until it is my time to leave this world as well. That's what it means to be a shinobi of the Leaf to me, at least . . ."

When she glanced over again, his mouth has dropped open in awe, and then, ever so slowly, it went away, turned into deep contemplation. "I never thought of it like that . . ." he admitted, almost whispering.

She barely heard the words, but it made her curious what he meant, "It isn't much different from what others aspire to be. Protecting what you love the most is a natural instinct, I feel. It's my way, but . . . sometimes I wonder . . ."

"Wonder what?" he asked, his feet scuffling on the dirt-packed path. This time, it was Sasaki's turn for a look of fear to pass over her eyes however briefly. She shouldn't have said that. Even if the drinks had loosened her tongue, it hadn't lowered the guard on all of her inner most thoughts, especially in regards to her own past. "It's nothing," she said, and quickly, waving him off, "I'm just wondering out loud if I'm really that good at what I do. That's all."

Takeo chuckled, grinning broadly as she led the way around the corner and down another block. She looked puzzled, almost offended when his laughter only got stronger, "What?"

"I just never pictured you having self-esteem issues," he said between chuckles. Irritation flared into anger as she abruptly moved to shove at his shoulder. He only laughed louder while catching her wrist easily. Sasaki yanked her arm back, and chopped lower towards his stomach. No surprise, he blocked the blow while still chuckling, but what he hadn't expected was the side sweep of her foot. Takeo barely to jump back in time, followed by ducking at a sudden round kick aimed for his head. "Geez, if I'd known you were that much in denial, I wouldn't have said anything!" he joked, getting another punch thrown from the kunoichi.

He leapt back, avoiding the blow, but he couldn't avoid the hedge he had stepped into in the process. Flailing, the ninja fell backwards with a yelp, landing on his rump among the bushes and dirt.

He groaned and suddenly Sasaki was the one laughing. Takeo looked so miserable that she couldn't help it, broken twigs stuck out of his hair while dirt ruined the once immaculate blackness of his clothes. The sight was just too much. The woman nearly doubled-over, holding her stomach from the force of the laughter wracking her body. He struggled to get up, scowling at her until the look was wiped from his face when he slipped and fell back again. "This isn't that funny, Sasaki," he groused, laying there as the volume of her laughter went back up again, "Help?"

She staggered over while still giggling, reaching for his hand, "I'm so sorry. I just can't help it. You should see your hair!"

Takeo grasped her wrist, using the leverage to spring out of the bushes and back to his feet. Grumbling, he brushed the dirt from his pants and shirt before pulling at the debris in his hair. Finished, the ninja shoved his hands in his pockets, and started to walk off until he heard her follow. Slowing his pace, he kept his head down as he gripped, "This is all your fault, you know. If you hadn't tried to hit me, I wouldn't have had to duck or ended up in a hedge."

"You said I had issues, and even found it funny! I do not have issues!" Sasaki yelled in his face, stamping a foot. No matter how angry she looked, he still chuckled. Slowly, she calmed down enough to look at him wearily instead before her dark eyes fell, "Well . . . at least not self esteem issues."

She didn't look over to see the slight smile on Takeo's face at her admission. Whatever her issues, he was sure they couldn't top his, but that wasn't why he smiled. What she had said still amazed him. Sasaki, even if she didn't think so, was truly a better shinobi than he was and probably a stronger person as well. It was admirable; wanting to protect what was important, more admirable than the way he chose his path as a ninja. The smile on his face went downwards into a frown, "We all have our own issues. I think it comes with the occupation."

Sasaki snorted a chuckle, "Yeah, probably . . . Can I ask you something?"

He didn't say a word for a long while, his eyes on the ground till he finally said just one word, "Anything."

"Anything?" she asked back, not quite believing what Takeo has said, "Are you sure? Anything can cover a lot of things. I thought you didn't like answering questions, especially potentially loaded one. Really? Anything?"

Taking a long breath, he slow nodded, "Yeah, why not? You let me ask anything I wanted and answered, so I guess you deserve as much in return. And you obviously want to know something, so . . . ask away!"

The kunoichi blinked, confused at the sunny smile on his face. Either he was forcing the cheerfulness for her sake, or he genuinely meant it. Somehow, she was skeptical of the latter being the real case. Sasaki looked at him thoughtfully a moment then nodded emphatically, "Alright, I have my question then."

"What is it?" he asked, trepidation setting in the tone of his voice. Maybe this was a bad idea. She could have asked him anything, and he practically promised to answer her with the truth. Ok, so maybe he hadn't said that much, but it felt like he had. What could she possibly want to know about? The rumors? The jutsu? His past? A bead of sweat formed on his forehead, rolling down the side of his face. Could he really answer anything she asked? He wasn't so sure he could . . .

"Do you . . ."

"Yes?" he prompted when Sasaki trailed off, nervousness making his question sound like a squeak instead of real words.

"Do you like tempura?"

All the tension he felt drained away from the ninja's over-worked mind. Anything she could possibly ask, and she asked about tempura? Takeo glanced at the purple-haired swordswoman as if she'd just said the craziest thing he'd ever heard, his features awash in incredulousness, and she just laughed. He blinked, still gawking at her. This was a joke, right? "That's what you want to know? If I like tempura?" his eyebrows knitted together, "What kind of question is that?"

Sasaki still laughed, grinning broadly, "The type you have to answer. You said you'd answer anything, so answer already!"

Slowly, he grinned again, looking at the path ahead of them as he mulled a reply. Tempura, really? Well, if she wanted to know . . . "Yeah, I do like tempura. There's still one shop I go to everyday for dinner when I'm in town. They make the best tempura udon, much better than ramen any day of the week," Takeo said, stretching as he went on more excitedly, "Honestly, how can people eat it all the time? I heard this one shinobi goes to Ichiraku at least twice a day for lunch and dinner, and eats at least five bowls at a crack! Can you believe it? Obviously he's never had proper tempura."

She couldn't help fighting down the giggles as she held a hand over her mouth. Luckily, he hadn't heard her sad attempts to sound like she was actually interested in tempura. No, what was much more interesting was how animated the man went on about his favorite food. It became too much to handle as her laughter only grew. He must have heard it as his rambling slowly died the louder she became. "You think it's funny, don't you?" the ninja asked, sounding downright miserable.

Sasaki shook her head vigorous, purple hair flying across her face, "No, tempura isn't that funny, but . . ."

"But what?"

"Just the way you talk about it . . ." she trailed off, "I suppose it would be cuter if you were twelve again."

Sasaki laughed again, and he couldn't but cringe, a nervous laugh wrung from his voice. She thought his blabbering was cute, childish, but cute nonetheless. The thought made Takeo blush dramatically in the dark night, scratching his hair while still chuckling. He couldn't possibly have come off more idiotic if he tried. And yet, the kunoichi didn't seem to mind, smiling radiantly even as she laughed softly. He could get used to hearing her voice full of mirth like that, brittle, harsh, tender, and rich all rolled up into one sound. The laugh seemed to fit the woman it came from, holding as much of her pain as it did her spirit. She still softly snorted in near giggles, but he didn't mind listening to it. He probably should have wished for her laugh to be lighter, for her to be happier, but he couldn't. No, Sasaki was wonderful just the way she was.

The suddenness of that thought made Takeo's chuckles stop completely.

He never did stop to wonder in the course of the night how wonderful she indeed was, but he certainly noticed now. And, it made him trip over an unseen stone with the next step he took, barely catching himself from falling on his face. Sasaki automatically reached out for his hand, making sure he was steady, "You ok?"

Takeo tried not to look at her like he'd been stricken, but he couldn't stop his mouth from dropping open slightly. There was something in those big, dark eyes of hers that made him suddenly nervous every time he looked at her. It kept down his spine to his toes and out of his voice, wavering after swallowing the lump in his throat, "Yeah . . . fine."

And yet, her hand still held his wrist, "Uh, Sasaki? You can let go now."

She laughed suddenly in a barely there snort that belayed her own nervousness, her hand springing open, "Oh, right . . ."

The kunoichi turned away, starting to walk towards one of the nearby buildings. It was one of the better apartment complexes in Konoha, the type where he knew the residents outright owned their quarters rather than rented. How curious it was that she lived in such a place. Somehow, he never pictured her being the upper-crust type, not like those with clan associations. Sasaki moved quickly up the set of stone steps as if she wanted to be away from him, but then she stopped by the door and slowly turned around. Her eyes didn't leave him, and Takeo suddenly figured out that she was waiting for him. His feet followed on their own, picking up the pace till he was suddenly standing at the bottom of the steps. He nearly stubbed a toe on the stone with how quickly he stopped, looking up at her instead of where he should have been going.

Sasaki grinned slightly, idly pushing her sandaled foot back and foot on the doorstep, "Thank you, for the drinks, the evening . . . and for seeing me home."

Takeo bowed, never breaking from her eyes, "My pleasure."

Her grin wavered, slowly turning down, "Do you really mean that?"

He blinked, confused, "Why wouldn't I?"

The woman fidgeted on the step, sliding a hand into her pants pocket and pulling out a key. She kept her back to him as she fiddled with the lock, "It's ok. I know you really didn't want to come tonight, so you don't have to act like you it was your choice. I mean, Sakura must have been very forceful if she not only got you out but got you to dress like that as well. This must have been a long and uncomfortable night for you, and I'm sure you'd rather be home right now. Why is this lock so hard tonight? It shouldn't even be using the front door when I normally-."

Sasaki's rambling stopped abruptly when she turned around again, running right into Takeo's chest. When in the world did he get up the steps, let alone this close without her noticing? Maybe the man was more skilled of a ninja than she thought. Maybe he was a lot more things than she thought. The words she was going to say stuck to the back of her throat, unable to come out or to be swallowed away. Her heart stuck there as well; beating faster the more intently he looked at her, smiling slightly. He was paler than she thought, and his eyes more vibrant. She could almost swear there was silver floating in the blue of those sapphire depths, or else the starlight played tricks on her perception. Pakkun was right on his scent though. She could smell it too now that he was this close, sandalwood and spice with a hint of smoke. It filled her nose as he leaned in closer, his bare arms reaching around her.

The purple-haired shinobi pressed her back to the door, unsure if she wanted to get away from him or get even closer. Apparently, he wanted the latter himself as she felt his forearm brush past her hip. Sasaki jumped, the silencing lump in her throat finally swallowed down, "I, um, I normally just use my window. I should probably just-."

The key clicked in the lock, and the door behind her opened. "I think I got it," Takeo said, a lop-sided grin on his face.

She looked down at the door knob, and found that his hand was on there and that it was open, "Oh, um . . . thank you."

"You're welcome," he said, still leaning over her, "I guess this is good night then."

"Um, I suppose it is . . ." Sasaki muttered, sounded rather deflated now that it was really the end of the night. Even the excited yet nervous edge that tingled in the pit of her stomach felt let down, but she didn't know by what. She certainly didn't want anything to happen, not tonight, but that was just her better judgment talking perhaps. No matter what her head thought, the rest of her senses almost didn't want him to leave. Takeo took a step back down. So, he was leaving after all. Sasaki quickly pushed the door open and stepped inside before her feet stopped, and she suddenly found herself turning around again to look at him standing there on her steps.

Damnit, why did she not want him to leave? The night was over and done with, he'd walked her home, and said good night, but why didn't it feel like enough? What did she want with him? Friendship? Company? Something to ease her loneliness and pain? Something more? Sasaki didn't know, and the very thought that something more could be brewing frightened her. All she had to do to get rid of him was say good night. How hard could that be? Once he was gone, she could figure it all out, come to some conclusion about him to make herself believe that she didn't really like him, and just be his friend. Why him of all people anyway? Not only did she still barely know him after one night, but he was a mess, a beautiful mess, but a mess nonetheless. There had to be more normal men out there that she could be attracted too, ones without a lop-sided dimple, book fetishes, or mysterious secrets. But then again, she did have a thing for messy men too . . .

Sasaki stood there by the door, deep in an internal struggle, when she heard Takeo ask, "What is it?"

She looked up at him, as if finally noticing that he was there with those wonderful sapphire eyes and the lop-sided dimple, and decided that she really did want him to stay, "Do you . . . want to come in?"

His eye widened, a mix of shock with a dash of fear, and then slid downwards, "I really shouldn't . . ."

Damn. He was saying no. He didn't think of her that way at all.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have even asked. I don't know what possessed me, um, good night," Sasaki mumbled quickly, about to close the door in his face and beat a hasty retreat. Hiding in her bed with the covers pulled over her head was sounding good if there weren't any rocks around to crawl under. Shit, she shouldn't have tried to even ask him. What was she thinking? Maybe the ground could have just taken her up whole now that she was close to dying of embarrassment at his feet. And yet, before she could be left alone in her misery, he reached for her hand.

All of the kunoichi's thoughts ground to a complete halt as the hand he took went slack along with her jaw.

Takeo lifted her arm and bent over at the same time, stopping when his full lips brushed the back of her palm. Sasaki nearly jumped out of her skin, as if she'd just been struck with electricity. Every hair on her arm stood on end by the time he pulled away only to kiss the inside of her wrist. Suddenly, she felt like dying for completely different reasons. He could probably feel her pulse racing through her veins at that pressure point, but he didn't seem to care, and for the moment, neither did she. Even if the whole entire apartment building fell around them, she would have continued to stand there as still as a statue so long as she still felt his kiss on her skin.

When the dark-haired man pulled away and let go of her hand, Sasaki finally breathed, inhaling sharply while her arm fell down limp. He must have liked the effect he had on her, grinning impishly as if he was thoroughly pleased with himself. And yet, that quickly changed to a heart-warming smile, one that stole her breath away again, "Good night, Saki-chan."

"Good night, Takeo-kun," she barely whispered, rooted to the spot just inside the door.

She really did want him to stay.

Yet, Takeo turned away sharply, walked down the stone steps, and ventured back into the night. Sasaki watched his dark back as he never turned once to glance back at her again, even as he disappeared around the corner. He hadn't run from her unlike the other day, but walked away deliberately, not like he wanted to get away from her but like he needed to put some distance between them. Not that she blamed him, of course. Distance was good with how she felt at the moment.

The kunoichi stood there a long while with her eyes still glued on where he had left from view, replaying the whole evening in her head. He was still a mystery to her, but . . . now he seems more like a real person. Oh, he was far from perfect before, but he was also just that before, far from perfect. She didn't know anything else about him. And Takeo had always been distant, more so than Kakashi ever was. He never said or did anything of meaning to her, no matter how often she stared at him. But now, that distance felt as if it had been to a hair's width of space. If she ever found herself staring at the man for minutes on end like before, she'd never be able to live it down now. Even remembering the feeling of his lips on her skin could turn her back to the perfect shade of ripe tomatoes. But, as a secretly-kept and guarded smile crossed her lips, whatever changes in their friendship, teamwork, relationship in general, it had been worth it.

* * *

Slipping into the women's restroom of the bar was harder than it looked, especially when Kakashi not only had to come in through a small ventilation window, but also avoid any other shinobi women passing through. It didn't help that he could feel the sake in his system slowing his reaction time ever so slightly. No one else would have known the difference except for himself and maybe Gai. Luck seemed to be on the Copy nin's side though as he dropped down into the room after hearing water stop and the door close one last time. Or, maybe it wasn't entirely on his side. After looking through the place and all the stalls, he found that it was completely empty, "Well . . . damn."

Where the hell could Sakura have gone?

Wherever she was though, she certainly was not in the rest room anymore. Before he got caught being in there, the shinobi silently snuck out of the door, making sure no one saw him. He glanced at the table he'd left not even a minute ago, and didn't see the pink-haired woman there. And as he took the time to look over the rest of the bar, he realized she wasn't there either. Maybe she headed home ahead of him? If she did, it sort of ruined his plans. For all he knew, he'd blown his chances completely with the stunt he had pulled under the cover of table. She hadn't stopped him, but that little contradiction didn't stop her from being angry with him like always. And knowing Sakura, she would let her anger be felt upon him.

Grumbling to himself, Kakashi turned away and wandered towards the men's room. If he wasn't going to get any tonight, like he assumed, he could at least fix the problem tightening his pants.

Just as he passed by some of the back storeroom on his way, the ninja didn't notice one of them open till the sound of squeaky hinges, and someone passed behind him. Sneaking up on the Copy nin was never a good idea, not when he was sexually frustrated and a little intoxicated. Who could possibly be so stupid, especially when he could hear their sandals on the wooden floor? The only clever thing they'd done so far was mask their chakra. He had no idea who it was, only that he had let them come up right behind him. Gah, he was slipping, but that wasn't going to happen anymore tonight.

Slowly, his hand dropped to the kunai holster on his thigh, slipping the handle of weapon into his palm. Cloth rustled, getting closer to his ear, and he knew they were going for his neck. The ninja whirled as he felt a hand grab the back collar of his vest. Poised to slash downwards, Kakashi stopped abruptly at the flash of strawberry pink and the press of a body against his. It was a woman, definitely a woman from the curves he felt. Her hand caught his wrist, and he could see the pale pink polish that could only belong to one woman.

Sakura.

"You scared me half to-!" he started to yell at her until she yanked his mask and covered his mouth with hers. The force of her lips was near bruising, devouring him right there in the middle of the hallway, and he answered it back while wrapping his arms over her figure. In the sensation of her kiss, it was easy to forget about the past few minutes and remember exactly where they had left off. The kunai pressed into the silk over her back as he forgot that he still held it, making her gasp and jump while her lips pulled away, "Kakashi."

"You left me there," he growled, nipping at her jaw line and neck.

"We were going to get caught," Sakura tried to argue until he pivoted and pushed her back towards a wall. Her shoulders bumped against the wood paneling and his hips ground into hers, cutting off further argument. "We're going to get caught here too unless we're very quick or find someplace else," he breathed between kisses.

Apparently he was voting for being quick as he didn't let up, tugging at the drenched fabric clinging to her thighs. She squeaked, trying to push his hand away, "We can't! We'll never be allowed back in here!"

"The men's room."

That was not a question from his tone of voice.

"Kakashi!" she hissed, both appalled and frustrated until an idea struck her. The Copy nin stopped at the determined fire in Sakura's green eyes, almost frozen. The look she gave him could be nothing good. What exactly was she planning now? Before he could ask, her hand snaked between their bodies and grabbed him by the mask hanging loosely around his neck. Using it as a leash, she slid along the wall towards the still open door she had hidden in earlier, pulling him with her, "You're coming with me."

"That's my line."

"Tonight it isn't."

Not that he would argue with her over that fact, but people stealing his favorite sayings was becoming increasingly annoying. That annoyance was forgotten as soon as they slipped through the door and into the darkness. Where exactly had she taken him? The answer to his question came after she released her hold on his neck and slammed the door shut. The light was dim in the room, but the stacks of crates, shelves of sake bottles, and assorted barrels he could see left little to the imagination when his sight adjusted. Then again, anything remotely private was good enough as he pulled Sakura back into his arms, maneuvering towards another wall. They knocked into the one of the metal shelves on the way, rattling the glass until he took time away from kissing the kunoichi to steady it. "Careful," he whispered into her lips, ignoring momentarily the tugging at the buckles hidden under his vest.

She giggled, sounding slightly tipsy as her teeth nipped his neck, "Now you want to be careful, after what you did to me at the table?"

A grin inched up on his face, "You liked it."

"We could have gotten caught."

"You really liked it," Kakashi argued, pulling her collar open while trying to kiss her. Sakura ducked, avoiding his lips as she glared at him. The nerve of him, really, especially when they were almost caught by Anko of all people. He was also reminding her too much of every reason why she should have been pissed and not ready to throw herself at him. "I didn't bring you in here to argue," she hissed.

He stopped, staring back at her, "Admit it and I won't argue."

The kunoichi's anger erupted, "Kakashi, I am not going to admit that I enjoyed being felt up by you in public. I still have some modesty left. You haven't corrupted me that much that I would actually enjoy it when you use me like your personal toy-."

Kakashi growled while cutting off her words, pushing her back against the wall suddenly and pinning her wrists with one hand almost effortlessly, "Just listen a moment."

Her jaw snapped shut. The kunai thudded soundly as its sharp point sunk into the wood next to her head, his hand resting on the blade, "You're not my toy, Sakura. I've never used you like you were. You're just said that to make me angry."

Defiance shone through her jade eyes with her chin raised slightly, "It must have worked because I am the one pinned to the wall."

His hand dropped from the weapon to tangle in her pink hair then around to hold the side of her face, thumb trailing on her cheek and lip. Kakashi sagged against her with and exhaustive sigh, forehead pressed against hers, "I never did get a good, close up look at you tonight . . ."

Sakura stiffened, "You're looking now."

His hand sprung up and splayed on the wall as took a long look at her, moving to touch the back of her neck as he stayed still just above her parted mouth, "I'm not fighting with you right now over this."

Her eyes had drifted half-closed somewhere in the prolonged conversation, her voice turning low and husky, "Who's fighting?"

Kakashi snorted a chuckle, "You sound beautiful like that, even sexy."

A radiant smile spread across the kunoichi's face. Somehow she knew she'd never get tired of hearing lines like that from him. Even Inner Sakura applauded the Copy Nin's skill at reminding her exactly why she loved him in the first place. Her body shifted as her arms lowered to encircle the silver-haired man's neck, "Shut up and kiss me already?"

He did as she asked and kissed her gently, tugging on her lower lip. Then her arms tightened, pressing against the ninja as if the past couple of minutes were all but forgotten. She was mad at him? Really? When did that happen? Like it mattered anyway. He was here, kissing her hard and intense enough that her toes curled in her sandals. All in all, it was the perfect ending to an unforgettable night as Kakashi pulled away to kiss her neck, opening the collar her dress a little more in the process. What more could she have asked for? She had the man she loved after all. Yet, even as she felt his hands upon her, slowly inching up her ruined gown still she was exposed to his gaze, she couldn't help but wonder if some things could have gone differently. Poor Sasaki . . . Poor Takeo . . .

The Copy nin sunk to his knees between her legs, and her thoughts abruptly changed directions. He was grinning, wickedly, and Sakura blushed, vividly. From the unguarded lust in her lover's mismatched eyes, perhaps she should have been more concerned about her poor modesty.

There was a fine line after all between being risqué and just plain dirty, one that they were both toeing along together.

And of course, as she smiled to herself when his lips brushed over her folds, she wouldn't have traded that delicate balancing act for the world.

* * *

To Be Continued in Lesson 10 Gaiden of The Way of the Sword, A New Chapter, and Lesson 11 of the Way of the Sword, Dirty Laundry. 


	12. Gaiden, A New Chapter

The Way of the Sword

A Naruto fanfiction, By Serenanna

Lesson 10, Gaiden – A New Chapter

Warnings and Disclaimers: I don't own Naruto or any of the characters. I'm just borrowing them to play with. I'll return them later, promise. There is adult content, and sexual situations in this story involving sharp, pointy objects. So, if you're under 18, leave now before your virgin eyes are scarred forever, if you're over 18, enjoy!

Story Notes: This is a Kakashi/Sakura fic, while other pairings may come and go. This story is a continuation of Ronsmyhero's Respect and Understanding. Reading that fic is a good idea in order to understand this one as there will be references from it. It was with her knowledge and stamp of approval . . . but I've since lost contact with her (Ronsmyhero, if you're reading this, e-mail me!). Mulling my options, I am going to continue as planned.

In case she ever makes her own sequel, this is an AU take. I know a fanfic of a fanfic probably isn't a good idea, but I'm giving it a whirl. Ronsmyhero, this is in honor of you.

This part is taking a break from the main plot to delve into Takeo's imagination, which is why it's being bundled with lesson 10 as a gaiden. If that sounds weird, you'll see why as soon as you read. Just indulge the authoress a little eh? Also, to all the fantasy nuts and Dungeons and Dragons-playing crazies in the readership, this is a good chapter to play spot the reference and the anagrams. In jokes will abound.

All warnings and such still apply! Refer to other chapters for full notes.

* * *

Takeo closed the apartment door behind him, and glanced around at the darkness. In his entire existence, that one evening felt like his happiest moments in . . . forever. When had he laughed so much last? Or flirted with a woman that much last? Or the last time he didn't entirely clam up about himself? Or didn't try to run? For one night, he had felt at peace with himself enough that he could almost feel like a normal person.

But the night was over, and Takeo wasn't sure how he should have felt about it. On any other day, he would have been relieved to be out of the public eye. But, now that he was home, it didn't exactly feel like the place he remembered leaving. Something felt like it was missing or someone more specifically. He had a friend, that much was for sure, but a feeling nagged at him when he thought about the certain woman he could now call friend. The more she went through his head, the more interesting the feeling became and the more pain it brought, especially when he thought back to her hands.

What the hell was wrong with him?

Taking a step forward, he flicked on the switch of a burnished lamp sitting on his desk, bathing the room in golden light, and began to pace. Back and forth Takeo went, mulling over a certain kunoichi with purple hair. Lavender and vanilla, sweet and clean, he could still remember that scent. He nibbled on his lower lip nervously, sure that he could even still taste her skin from where he had kissed her hand and wrist.

What the hell was he thinking?

The heavy tread of his sandals stopped on the hardwood floor. He had kissed the inside of Sasaki's wrist, and she had absolutely no idea of the meaning behind it. At the time, the action had felt good, really good, like he's been waiting to do that since meeting her. And to Takeo, it felt worth every second, including the slap he'd be getting if she ever figured out that a kiss that particular spot was meant as a come on. Ok, so maybe the slap wouldn't be worth it as he started to pace again, but for the moment, getting slapped by the sword-wielder had its appeal too.

He stopped again. Since when had he started thinking about her like that, wanting her to touch him? Then again, the more he thought about it, the more he wanted to touch her too, and to taste her skin again, breath in her scent, hear her laughing at his joke, smiling at him with those big, dark eyes shining.

The tightening pain in his chest didn't let go until he came to the realization that there was something very un-friend-like in the way he thought about Sasaki. With a frustrated stomp, Takeo pulled and clawed at his long hair with a rough shake, utterly ruining the once neat ponytail, "Gah! I didn't want you in my head in the first place!"

But, alas, the memories of the kunoichi stuck, weighing heavily enough that he collapsed into his desk chair with an exhausted huff.

He hunched over, brooding with his arms propped on his knees with his head in his hands. This was bad, very bad. What had started as a simple case of mutual curiosity had pried open the last of a series of emotions he never wanted to encounter. This was not happening to him. He wasn't in love. And even if love did pushed at him, he could and would push back, no matter deep into denial it drove him. It wasn't love he felt for her . . . It wasn't lust either.

It could not be anything else but his heart conspiring with his body against him. He didn't like her like that, couldn't like her like that, or at least that was what he kept telling himself. No matter how wonderful, beautiful, strong, incredible Sasaki was, no matter memorable the night had been, and no matter how he felt about seeing her again when training resumed, he would not screw their friendship up so completely or so soon with something called love. Takeo nodded emphatically to himself, conviction keeping his head moving in agreement.

There was nothing there in her smiles or stares anyway to tell him that what he was feeling was mutual, no desire for more. If there was, he didn't notice it, and if she ever did decide to show interest, he would ignore it. Sex, women, and love were the last things he needed screwing his life over. Beside, when was the last time any relationship he ever had went right to begin with? Something always happened. It was almost inevitable as he winced in recollection, and usually involved his past in one way or another. He frowned. Sasaki may not have known his past, or may have claimed she didn't care, but she would care once she ever found out the truth. The very thought made his frown deepen. What was the use of getting his hopes up that this time could be different when they could be shattered so easily with one admission?

And yet, the feeling of mutual pain and elation still pricked at him the longer his thoughts centered on her, leaving the ninja growling in frustration, "Women . . . as infectious as a damned virus . . . I can't believe I called her my heroine. How corny can I be?"

Sighing, he slumped back in the chair and stared up at the ceiling, watching the shadows. What was he going to do about her? What could he do?

Could they go back to being just teammate? Unlikely.

Could he even go forward with a relationship if the feeling didn't go away? Very unlikely.

Could they just be friends? Takeo had absolutely no idea, even if that had been his purpose all along, to be just friends with her.

What was he going to do when he did see Sasaki again? Could he even handle training with her, watching her dance around him, figuratively, in those body hugging ANBU outfits? He groaned, pounding his forehead with the heel of his palm to purge that image from his head. There had to be a way to get his thoughts of her out of his system, discreetly.

The only thing that came to mind immediately was masturbation, but somehow he knew that would just make the problem worse.

Takeo kicked at the floor, rubber sole of his sandal sliding suddenly on one of the fallen pages from earlier. Curiously, he looked down at the freshly scuffed piece of paper, squinting as he read a part of the handwritten passage without his glasses. When finished, the dark-haired man scowled to himself. No wonder he'd been so disgusted with it earlier. The characters were as flat as what it was written on. With a resigned murmur and a groan, he bent over to pick up the papers, tossing them haphazardly onto the worn desk. Maybe he could salvage it in the morning when he could think straighter and without at least three cups of sake in his system.

Getting up from the chair and rubbing his temples, Takeo shuffled across the floor, stopping only when he reached the bedroom door to remove his tall sandals and toss them aside. He moved just inside the doorway when he stopped cold, some fuzzy thought jolting the back of his mind. Sapphire eyes widening, the thought turned into an idea that hit him like a hammer to the head.

She could be his heroine, literally.

It was a crazy idea, but it just might work. Sasaki was perfect already as a character, hell, so were half the people in the village. Why should he struggle developing fake people when he had a whole town full of them to study and borrow from? No one really read his books anyway, especially his teammates. Parts of himself and his past already seemed to invade his writing anyway, so why not consciously make those choices? Takeo drummed his fingers on the door frame as his thoughts went deeper. He just needed a plot. He needed something epic, romantic, with intrigue and action, and something more realistic than what he'd written previously. He needed a plot without dragons, unlike the last series. That one had gotten old quickly in the second book after he changed plot to the one about that second city under siege by the fire-breathing plot devices. Usually, plots just came to him and stuck like glue.

Yet, nothing else brilliant seemed like it was coming to him the longer he stood there.

Grumbling and shaking his head, Takeo wandered into the bedroom, stripping as he went, "Morning, morning is good. It's not like a plot is just going to jump up and scream write me."

And yet as walked naked to and from the dark bedroom after retrieving his reading glasses, that was almost what happened. As he went to grab the pair of worn-out sweatpants he wore earlier from the floor, he stopped while noticing something, "How did-?"

It was a book that had somehow fallen under his bed, now covered in dust bunnies.

Picking up both the pants and the old book, he tossed the former onto the covers before sitting down, thumbing the pages. Vaguely, the ninja started to remember what exact that particular novel was about even if he didn't remember ever dropping it under his bed. It wasn't a bad book either, about a team of thieves that rescued a princess caught in a civil war. The entire set up was as clichéd as it could possibly get, with nutty mages, magically fixed plot holes, and a sappy, tacked on romantic sub plot, but the writing was good, better than his at that time and place. That had been a while ago, years ago, and he'd improved since, or so he liked to think.

Takeo flipped another a few pages, and read, stopping only to pull on his pants and to walk back towards his desk. If he could update the plot, throw out the clichés, and twist the flow of the story to where it fit the characters in his head . . .

He stopped in the middle of the floor and suddenly tossed the book aside, knocking it into another shelf. Moving quickly, he grabbed the remains of the one destroyed manuscript and dumped it in an empty box. In a matter of a minute, he sat down with a fresh supply of black pens and an empty notebook in front of him. This time, it would be a good story. He was sure of it. And it would start like any other adventure, like that night in his life was supposed to start, in a bar among friends . . .

* * *

_He winced at the sounds of the brawl emanating from the rest of the tavern below them. There we decided perks to being friends and good patrons of the owner of the most well-trafficked dives in all of Rainhaven, one of which was good seats away from rowdy, drunken masses. Of course, that was the beauty of a place like Acamikhi Hall, for a fee or a favor, the best of the city could co-exist with the worst with only a staircase and a band of well-paid half-orc bouncers to separate the two. There were decided perks indeed. He leaned over the railing, an elbow propping up his chin as he watched the fight with idle fascination. Why was it that fights broke out regularly like that anyway? It wasn't like they solved anything, or that there was honor in the challenge, or that anyone came out the clear victor. _

_The dark-haired man sighed, frowning. At least the noise wouldn't last too long now that the bouncers had sprung into action. It was too bad really. The fight was getting kind of interesting compared to the other amusements that resided around the bar. It was one of those night where not even an ale or a smoldering glance from a bar wench could peek his interest. He had no reason to be uninterested either. The day had been a good one. The bandits they were after had been found, dispatched, or turned in without any of his company being injured. Their client was supremely happy with their effectiveness and rewarded them more than the original agreement. And on top of it all, they could use the pay to relax and not have to worry about finding another job. _

_That was if they didn't blow it all on food, drink, lodging, and baths first. Being a sword-for-hire was more expensive than regular folks thought, and paid less, not to mention the income wasn't even remotely steady. He grumbled, ruffling a handful of long, pitch-black hair in annoyance. Why would he be interested in women or drink when there were such other pleasant diverting matters to think about anyway?_

"_Hey Tacao! Quit moping and join us already!" a feminine voice yelled across the expansive landing, ending with a giggle that was too tipsy to be sober._

_Then again, there was also the sickening fascination that came over him everything he watched his friend make a drunken fool of himself with their feisty female 'follower'. Well, ok, so Saruka made the third member of their duo for about three years now, but that didn't mean she was a part of them, really? Tacao turned around slowly as the giggling increased followed by a dark chuckle that was too indiscreet for public. From the way the petite human woman hung all over the lap and torso of the much taller, and older, elf, it was really too intimate a position they were in for him to continue to think of her as a separate entity in the party. On the plus side, watching the two of them knee-deep in the drink and each other reminded him so much of why he tried to avoid both indulgences, except in moderation. _

_After a year of putting up with them, he wouldn't have been surprised if they took their clothes off and tumbled together right there. Nothing they did anymore could shock him more than the initial realization that his two friends were more that just friends with each other. It had been a morning like any other in another town in another inn and on another mission when he made his discovery. She was gone from her room when he went to check on her before breakfast. He panicked like it was the most natural thing in the world, only to find her in the elf's bed, quite naked, when he went to tell his friend. How in the void was he supposed to know that Saruka has snuck into Kashi's room in the middle of the night? How also was he to know they'd been doing it for at least three to four month already on a daily basis? Really, he couldn't tell there was any sexual tension between them till it was up and shoved itself in his face._

_He'd never pictured that his friend would fall for the pink-haired sword vixen either, especially with as much trouble as she had given them in the past._

_That hair had been the trait that betrayed her lineage each and every time they ran into trouble, as lovely as that fall colored the perfect shade of peony pink it was. If it had been any other color, no one would have suspected that she was the daughter of Ruhano, the deceased barbarian Greatking of the eastern country of Wavecrest. After her father was killed, Saruka had run from her tribe and the usurper that took command of her people by force. Her tale hadn't surprised either of them when they helped her fend off a horde of would-be assassins that had followed her. What did surprise them was her insistence that she follow them in exchange for help in drumming up support for her cause of taking back her father's throne. Honor dictated that she had to avenge her family, and by honor, she would do just that for her people. After three years though, they were no closer to that goal then they had been that day, and all they seemed to get in return was one group or another of attackers after the princess._

_It was all the elf's fault that the girl was tangled up with them._

_Kashi must have been smitten with her immediately as he said agreed to test her battle competency without hesitation. With that hair, those jade green eyes with their wide stare, that alabaster skin as clear as water, a stature as dainty as a fae maiden, a figure could put both goddesses of lust and the sword to shame, a temper more fiery than a forge fire, and a punch that could snap most men in half, who wouldn't be at once both attracted and repelled by her? After she had passed the test easily, Tacao had been weary of her since beautiful women tended to be a lonely man's downfall, but since she proved more than her worth in combat and as an herbalist and medic, Saruka was too useful to be left on her own. Besides, Kashi's word was final among the three of them, and now that he was lovers with the girl . . ._

_Arms crossed over his chest, Tacao's eyes drifted over to their leader, Kashi, his friend, mentor, and hero. Even if he didn't like Saruka for all the trouble she attracted, he could never tell his friend otherwise. He owed the man too much, including his life. It happened when Tacao was twelve and his family's farm was raided. His father had died fending off the bandits and his mother fell when they broke into the house. He had gone off into the forest before the raid to check the animal traps. If he had stayed there that day, if he hadn't mulled his father's order, what could have happened? When arrived back at the farm, the house was on fire. The bandits were still there, gathered around his two younger sisters whom they'd drug up from hiding in the cellar, and their intent was clear._

_He started to charge towards them across the clearing, knowing he'd probably be killed in the attempt anyway, when something shoved him off his feet. A dark shadow whirled past him and into the midst of the raiders. One by one they fell dead, turning the dirt red with blood. When the last man had dropped to the ground, there was only one person left standing, an elf with silver hair and mismatched eyes, masked and dressed in perfect black as if he was part of the shadows itself. _

_On the worst day of his life, he had met the person who changed it from a simple existence to something more. That was how he became indebted to Kashi Takeha, master of the Elven Thinblade duel-wield style. _

_As Tacao learned that night, Kashi was hired by the village down the road to find and kill the bandits plaguing them. He was late, a constant problem with tardiness he had when left to his own devices, but at least he was on time to save someone for once. The elf dropped the three children off in the village where they were taken in . . . except that wasn't where Tacao wanted to stay the rest of his. At first, he hadn't wanted to hear anything about life debts or students or anything of the kind from the kid. But, there must have been something in what he said that wore the elf down to agreeing to at least test his worthiness as an apprentice that many years ago. He passed the test, of course, but it wasn't easy, and once he left his sisters behind, their time training wasn't a pleasant learning experience either. _

_Still, he didn't regret the choice he made, ever. Not even now that they were living from pay day to pay day. At least his two friends were happy about their existence since they had each other, intimately, no matter how often he felt like the odd man out in their lives. Saruka giggled again as Kashi whispered something into her ear, both of them eyeing the human man with the dark hair leaning back on the railing. Tacao's eyes rolled in the knowledge that he was the one they were laughing over, "What did he tell you now, Pinkie? Something along the lines that I should hire a woman?"_

"_More like you'd attract more women if you keep pouting like that. He's right too. You are kind of cute when you're grumpy . . . for a sour puss, of course" she laughed, grinning wickedly as she curled all over the elf's body like a living accessory. The man didn't seem to mind even if his pointed ears turned a hue as pink as Saruka's hair. It still amazed him that the one woman could his once stoic, sometimes silent, and somewhat sarcastic sensei into complete and utter mush with just her presence. Then again the elf had destroyed his heroic image with his student long ago. He was, after all, as imperfect as the next man. Tacao smirked, watching with only mild interest at the snuggling pair, "Kashi, how did she ever pass your accursed test with those damned bells anyway?"_

_She opened her mouth, about to answer, when she yelped in a high-pitched squeal instead, swatting a hand from her rear. The elf chuckled, reaching across for a large mug of ale, "That's for me to know and you to never find out."_

_Suddenly Tacao had a very good idea on how Saruka did pass the test. His eyes rolled upwards, about to turn away from them again when the woman asked another question, "Really, what's got you down tonight? It was a good day after all, made some money, saved some people, and none of us got hurt, so what's nipping at you?"_

"_Poverty."_

_The elf snorted, "Of course, like roughing it a little has ever been a problem before."_

"_I don't need money to be happy," Saruka said with a languid stretch before turning to her silver-haired lover with a look of total adoration, "I have all I need to be happy."_

_From the way his one dark eye and one red eye marred by a long scar creased, the elf agreed with her. Tacao frowned, smelling the hypocrisy thick in the air like blood, "What about your birthright, oh great dethroned princess? You cannot tell me you've decided to give that up."_

_She sat up as straight as a rod at the accusation, chin proudly risen and arms fold matter-of-factly over her chainmail clad chest, "That has nothing to do with money or my happiness. It is my duty to my people to kill that usurper and avenge the proud name of my clan . . . I just need some time to persuade the people I need to persuade."_

"_And till then, Saruka, someone needs to keep you in skimpy chainmail dresses and short leather skirts."_

_The barbarian princess huffed, getting up from Kashi's lap to take a seat again next to him. Pointedly ignoring both men, she took a hold of the onyx-hilted bastard sword that looked about a hand taller than she was from where it leaned again the table. Effortlessly, she swung the blade precisely around her hand and set it down across the surface with a heavy, rattling thud. Seconds later, she produced a dirty pink rag and bottle of oil from her pack then proceeded to wipe down the blade with a methodical precision that only came over her when she was truly angry. The elf glared at his human student, arms crossed, "This is your fault."_

_Tacao groaned, "I didn't mean it like that, Saruka."_

"_Sounded like you did from here," she muttered under her breath, not ignoring him after all._

"_You know what I meant. You both do. It isn't about the money, not really."_

_She whipped the rag down on the table and leaned back with a heavy sigh, "Then what is it about then, because I for one am dying to know what goes on in that little head of yours?" _

_Tacao walked across the landing and turned a chair backwards, straddling it as he took a seat, "Bigger jobs are usually the ones that make a difference. I feel like we're going in circles, no further to any of our goals than the day we all joined up, I want-."_

"_You want something more, don't you? Like being a hero?" Kashi asked, one eyebrow quirked. His face fell, fidgeting on the chair nervously. His mentor didn't have to put it quite like that, but yes, it had been something of goal of his, much to the elf's disappointment. And that disappointment was clear on the silver-haired man's face and in the droop of his pointed ears, "How many times do I have to tell you that ideals won't make you think clearly about dangerous situations? Just because something appears to be happening one way doesn't mean it's really happening in the context you think."_

"_I know, teacher, but you've also said to follow your gut instinct before as well, and my gut is telling me that I'm meant for more than retrieving stolen property or killing bandits. It's good work but . . ."_

"_It's not one of those sappy things those annoying bards romanticize about," Saruka smirked, shaking her head and wiping the oil into the steel for vigorously, "I personally still feel you just need to find some pretty wench and get laid then you might not be so lonely."_

_Tacao's eyes rolled, "Since went have you been getting relationship advice from Enma and Okna?"_

"_Since their advice wore down Kashi's rough exterior."_

"_I'm still at the table, blossom," the elf grumbled, putting his ale back down before turning to his friend, "She has a point though. A woman could solve all your idealistic problems. I've learned the hard way that a life of celibacy can lead to all sorts of disasters."_

"_Like falling for feisty, pink-haired barbarian women?"_

"_Exactly."_

_The rag whipped through the air at the both of them, nearly knocking over the drinks, "Hey! I'm still at this table too! You both should be grateful I allow you to protect me when you both know I can knock you two into the middle of next week! And another thing-!"_

_Before her tirade could build up more speed and momentum, Kashi cut her off but grabbed her around the waist, hauling her off the chair and back onto his lap. The scream she gave was almost deafening, but thankfully she stopped as soon as his arms locked over her squirming figure. With a heavy sigh, it was abundantly clear to the sword maid that she wasn't going anywhere any time too, "Pointy-eared bastard."_

_An amused smile crossed Tacao's face. Maybe they both had a point in what they said. Could he be as happy as they were with a woman in his life? He didn't know, and part of him was sure it wouldn't change a thing of how he'd been feeling lately. There had to be something more out there, waiting for him to get off his duff and do something about it. He could almost feel his threads being spun and plucked, as if it was Fate working her magic over him. For once, he wished that something would happen to change his life over again, but in a way worth remembering. He looked down at the mug of ale he had drunken from earlier, and found it emptier than when he left it. Tacao glanced at the elf and the woman, who both shrugged. Of course none of them would admit to drinking it, neither of them had before. Grumbling, he got back up to his feet with the empty mug in hand, "I'll be back. I need another drink."_

"_Pick me up three more will you?" Saruka yelled after him. About halfway to the stairs, he turned back to wave in acknowledgement when someone slammed into him, knocking him clear off his feet. Whoever it was tumbled down with him, what felt like plate armor ramming into his gut. The world blackened a moment. No, wait, it hadn't. He knew that much as his head cleared. Instead, the world stared back at him in the form of the darkest pair of eyes he'd ever seen surrounded by long, sooty lashes and pale skin marred by a deep flush, "Woah."_

_Purple hair the perfect shade of violets fell in a thick braid from underneath the hooded cloak as the person struggled to get off of him. Takao then realized his hand was on a metal-covered chest too full and round to be that of a man. It was a woman, a beautiful woman from what he'd seen of her face before she turned away. He slid out from under her and surged back to his feet quickly, pulling her up by the forearm as well, "I'm terribly sorry. Are you alright?"_

_The woman gawked at him, dark eyes blinking blankly, before a shout went up from the floor below, "In the name of the Imperial Order, hold that woman!"_

_Looking over the railing, a troop of men in plate and blue tabards pushed past the hall's bouncers, clamoring up the staircase. There had to be at least a dozen of them, and all were outfitted in the same uniforms as the Imperial Temple guards. If that many were after this woman, then she must have been in very big trouble. The purple-haired woman twisted in his grip, trying to break free and run even as he held her back. "Let me go!" she cried out, frantically pulling at the hold on her wrist, "Please, let me go!"_

"_What do they want with you?!"_

"_I don't have time to tell you! Now, let go!"_

"_Not till you tell me!"_

_She wheeled on him, the cloak's hood flying down. Her dark eyes fell to the two thinblades strapped to his legs, "You fight?"_

_Tacao then noticed the longsword sheathed in a doubled wrapped belt over her hips, along with the mixture of chainmail and plate she was clad in, "And you don't?"_

"_I don't have time for this," the woman murmured as she pulled the blade free, "They'll kill me if they catch me unless I kill them first, so help me fight them off or get out of the way!"_

_Tacao's hand sprung open and not a moment too soon as a sword sliced between where they stood. _

_The entire landing suddenly seemed to notice that there was a battle starting and collectively panicked._

_In his peripheral vision, he could see Saruka leap up onto the table, her massive weapon in hand, and heard the hiss of Kashi's short, thin blades being drawn. The air by Tacao's head whirled and he ducked just in time to avoid the mace aim for him. With a swift, sweeping kick, he knocked the man off his feet. The body came crashing down, slamming into another guard as they were both bowled over. He looked up to see the purple-haired woman dive into the thick of the oncoming crowd, "Where are you going?!"_

_How had he gotten them into this mess?_

_Tacao leaped back up and pulled his thinblades loose, following after her as the guards charged towards them. He could barely keep up as she seemed to dance among opponents towards the center of their midst. It didn't seem like she was heading for the stairs. Where was she doing? Those she turned aside turned themselves towards him, striking the floor or air as he dodged their blows and parried their blades. The point of one of his swords cleanly skewered one through the side of his chainmail, making him wince as he heard the man gurgle blood. He tried to pull the blade free again as the body sunk to the floor, but it became hooked on the broken links. Taking advantage of the situation, another guard chopped downwards. Tacao barely got how sword up in time to block the shot, unable to block all of it as the sharp edge bit into his shoulder. He cried out in pain as he was forced to his knees._

_This could not be happening. So much for fate after all. Gritting his teeth, ripped his other sword free and jabbed at his oppressor up and sideways. The sharp tip easily slid underneath the breastplate and into flesh. The pressure threatening to chop his arm off suddenly let up as he pushed the dying man aside. Standing up again, he couldn't see anyone immediately coming towards him as the majority of guards crowded around the cloaked woman while Saruka and Kashi were trying to break through towards them. There was no way he'd be able to break through that many men to save her._

_Suddenly, Tacao could feel the air snap with a pull of magic. There was a mage among them? Only a talented few ever learned spellcraft. The knowledge of the weave was jealously guarded by the priests and priestesses of the Imperial Temple, who taught and governed the entire country of Waterhold. One had to become a devotee to that ruling religion or already be a part of the nobility. He'd only felt it once before, when they fought a mage that had stolen another mage's something-or-other. It didn't matter what magical thing it was as they were just paid to retrieve it, some stupid little crystal globe. And yet, they'd barely made it out that time. Tacao never wanted another job dealing with magic again, but there it was, ripping through his spirit once more._

_He glanced around trying to find the mage in the crowd, but then stopped as his eyes met the dark pair of the lady. A touch of fire danced in her obsidian depths and suddenly the room felt warmer. She pivoted, raising the sword high and across her body while looking directly at him from across the room. Suddenly, her head bowed quickly in a jerk. What was she trying to tell him? The blade in her hands glowed, growing brighter by the second until it took on the same burning red-orange as freshly-forged steel. Tacao's sapphire eyes widened, "Oh shit . . ."_

_Kashi must have seen it too as he suddenly ducked, pulling Saruka to the floor with him, "Tacao! Down, now!"_

_The human man dropped into a curled up ball. All around him the air cracked and hissed, mixing with the ongoing shouts and screams before it was all silenced with a blast overhead. He could feel the rush of heat over his back, and he hazarded to look up. A wave of flames rushed forth from the woman's sword in as an arc as she slashed through the air of the guards surrounding her. The fires engulfed the men with devastating results as they dropped with piercing screams from burnt fabric and melting metal. Too soon though, the cries of pain stilled and a deadly silence fell over the entire tavern. _

_Tacao looked up to see the woman in the middle of it all, her longsword lowered and smoking as she panted, wobbling slightly on her feet. She looked at him and gave a wane smile. In spite of the carnage she had just wrought, he smiled back. She laughed softly, deliriously, and then abruptly stopped. Her eyes rolled upwards into the back of her head. Dropping his blades, he leapt to his feet and rushed forward to grab her as she collapsed, dropping into his arms like a dead weight. Caught under her body, he sunk again to the floor, holding the passed out woman to him. Who was she?_

_Hearing steps around him, the dark-haired man looked up to see Kashi looming over them, frowning in disapproval, "I hope you're very happy in your choice of pretty women. She looks like a handful."_

_Tacao scowled, "Oh do shut up?"_

_The peevish look on his face turned into contorted mask of pain, hissing as something unbearably cold touched his bleeding shoulder, "Damnit, Saruka! Warn me next time!"_

_He looked over to see the barbarian woman pressing the rag into the wound, the scent of herbs and blood drifting upwards. She smirked, pulling another bottle filled with a murky concoction from her bag. Tacao hissed at the astringent sting as she squirted the liquid on his wound, "Don't be such a baby. I've patched you up how many times now?"_

"_I try not to keep count . . ." he grumbled, looking down at the unconscious woman. Kashi was right. She was pretty, ok, not merely pretty, beautiful was a better description even if he felt it was overused. How could such a woman who looked so fragile when she was out cold pack such a punch? And with magic no less? Whatever she had done with that fire and her weapon was not something he had seen before. Mages did not fight like they did, but she combined the two. Tacao winced as he felt a cold paste being smeared across his shoulder followed by linen bandages. "No more being a hero for you tonight," Saruka scolded him before moving around to look at the woman he held, brushing purple hair from her face, "Fainted . . . must be exhaustion."_

"_What in the void have you three done now?!" a gruff voice shouted from stairs as the stunned crowd stirred. Tacao looked up to see an overweight dwarf glaring angrily at them then down at their attackers. _

_Normally, Jichou Acamikhi appeared as a gregarious fellow before the patrons of his tavern, with his thick brown hair and beard permanently unkempt, rotund body, short stature, and over indulgent appetite. He was without a doubt usually the easiest man to please in all of Rainhaven so long as you were pleasing him with ale in one hand and a plate full of roasted meat in the other. Actually, anything edible in one's hand would give you the tavern keeper's undivided attention. It was part of why he ran the family's ale hall. He liked the business the most and spent all of his time there anyway. And normally, the three of them, Kashi, Saruka, and Tacao, knew just how to please the dwarf by bringing back any exotic delicacies they could to curry favor. Elven chocolate truffles had gotten them up on the landing that night, and from the way Jichou steamed nearly out his ears, more truffles wouldn't help to get him to calm down any, "I knew it! I knew you're all a lot of trouble! I'm going to have Imperials breathing down my neck for sure! And for truffles!"_

_Kashi moved to intercept him, mismatched eyes creasing, "We're really very sorry for the mess. You see these gentlemen just wouldn't let us buy them drinks and discuss our problems, and the bouncers were no use, so-."_

"_Save it, you lanky, pointy-eared sneak thief! I am not listening to your canned excuses this time! Every time you three cause a problem, my damage bills go up! If it weren't for those golden goddess apples from Flametree, I'd never let you back in again, just-! Argh!" the dwarfed stomped angrily, pointing towards a set of back stairs in the far corner, "Go, now, before more of them show up, and take that girl with you!"_

_Tacao started to get up, hauling the woman up with him and moving her till she was carried across his uninjured shoulder, "He's right, we need to go."_

_A pale eyebrow shot up on the elf's face, "You sure, lad? Those weren't even regular city guards . . ."_

"_I know."_

"_And they only want the girl . . ."_

"_I know . . ."_

"_Ah, such as well, we'll never be able to show our faces in this town again for a while," he moped, picking up their fallen weapons, "Might as well bring along another mouth to feed. She might even be useful."_

"_And I really like the mead here too," Saruka scowled, already moving to grab their gear, "She better be extremely nice when she wakes up, or I'm going to be the one pissed enough to skin a cat."_

_The three of them moved quickly, the crowd parting in their wake as they emerged into the night on top of the steps. Instead of taking them back down to the street, Kashi leapt onto the hand railed and kicked off of the wood to land on the tavern's roof easily, "We'll take to the sky route. Guards won't follow up here. Step quickly."_

_Saruka and Tacao followed, the latter with more difficulty as the body on his shoulder suddenly shifted. "Got her, tallness?" the petite woman asked, starting across the rooftop._

"_Sure thing, short stuff," he chuckled, "Light as a feather."_

"_Your feather wears a tin can." Kashi added, moving after her._

_He stood on the ledge, watching them walk off, and snorted in derision. As typical, he brought up the rear. Tacao took a step to follow when the shifting body became more jarring; threatening to spill them both off the roof, "What the-?"_

"_Put me down!" the woman's voice squeaked as feet thrashed against his thigh. He unceremoniously dumped her onto the tiled roof, a loud thud sounding through the ceramics. Kashi quickly turned back, glaring at him while hissing, "Tacao! I suggest keeping it down unless you do want to get us all pinched!"_

_He shrugged helplessly, motioning towards the fallen woman as she flapped her cloak in aggravation, "You could have been more gentle, you brute! How in the hells did I get up here?! And who are you?"_

_The pink-haired barbarian shouldered her pack and heavy sword harness, frowning deeply at the pair, "We'd like to ask you a similar question or twenty?"_

_The purple-haired woman just glared back, "I don't have to tell the three of you anything."_

_Tacao winced as Saruka started to growl. Growling from the little woman of their troupe was never good, especially when it was directed at another female. Before violence become anything but a palpable feeling in the air, Kashi put a hand on his lover's shoulder, forcing her back down. The elf then took a step forward, hanging over her as he stared down. She didn't wither or look away under a gaze that Tacao knew could reduce most bandits they encountered to pleading for mercy. "Kashi . . . don't . . ." the dark-haired warned, hesitantly moving sideways, "She's just scared . . ."_

_The elf's eyes stopped looking so dangerous and creased, too happily, "I'm sure she is, but she still has to talk."_

"_You can't make me do-."_

_The silver-haired man's thinblade sliced through the air, stopping at the woman's throat, "You are in no position to remain silent."_

_She gulped, "Leave me then. I'll only bring you all more trouble. I've made it this far on my own . . ."_

"_A wise choice," Kashi said, sheathing the short sword as he turned away, "Leave her then."_

"_Thank you gods and divinities above," Saruka muttered under her breath._

"_But we can't just leave her!" Tacao shouted, following as they moved towards another roof at a quicker pace._

"_She's made her choice, and she's more that capable of taking care of herself with that finger-waggling mumbo-jumbo and superior sword skills."_

"_But . . ." he slowed down as they jumped across, stopping at the edge, "I didn't even get her name . . ."_

"_Saiki . . . my name is Saiki."_

_The dark-haired man slowly turned, glancing over his shoulder. She smiled at him, pulling up her hood before looking down, "Thank you, for helping me back there . . . and I'm sorry, for causing you and your friends trouble in the first place."_

_Despite of how much trouble she had caused them, and the lovely attitude moments ago, Tacao couldn't stop the goofy grin that spread across his face, "It's alright, trouble seems to find us anyway when we least want it . . . Are you sure you'll be alright on your own? Imperials are bad news to most people."_

_A look of fear crossed her black eyes, or was it disappointment he saw. Somehow, he couldn't tell the difference. No sooner had he seen it on her face when she turned away, walking back towards the stairwell, "Your friend, Kashi was it? He's right. I'm more than capable of taking care of myself to get where I'm going. I need to do this, but it won't be easy. Not much of a choice I'm afraid. Besides, it'll only bring you greater trouble."_

_Tacao's eyebrows knitted together, puzzled as he stopped following his friends to follow her instead, "Hey, let us decide for ourselves what's worth the trouble or not. Where are you going anyway?"_

"_To Flametree, to see Queen Unna-day."_

_Kashi stopped mid-step as he was nearly halfway across the next roof over, his pointed ears twitching at the name. For once he wanted to curse his excellent hearing, "The Goddess of the Leaves? You're going to see her?"_

_The cloaked woman blinked at the elf then nodded. A long stream of curses flew from his mouth, half of them not sounding so rough as they flowed in the lyrical tongue of the People, as elves liked to call themselves. Groaning, he wound down, rubbing a hand over his face as he muttered, "Well, voidspawn and damnation. She's about the last person I would have thought a mage would want to willingly see."_

_Her head bowed, turning back to face them, "As I said, I don't have much of a choice in my quest . . . This land depends on my meeting with her."_

"_Well, then let us help you!" Tacao yelled out, much too excited. The dour look on Saiki's face lifted, the dim smile growing into a very wide grin as she regarded him. "You're eager to play the hero, aren't you?" she asked coyly._

_He grinned back, "It isn't every day that a beautiful woman needing help falls into my lap, literally."_

_Across the roof, his two friends snorted and chuckled. His eyes rolled upwards as the woman laughed, trying not to as she covered her mouth with her hand. Tacao couldn't help but laugh nervously too, "Well, at least I'm sincere about it . . ."_

"_Sincerity and corniness are two different things, tallness," Saruka joked as he groaned, "Why is it so important for you to see this queen anyway?"_

_Saiki fidgeted on the ledge, "It's a long story, one I should probably tell along the way, and-," she stopped, noticing Tacao's intent stare at her, "What is it?"_

_Why hadn't he noticing it before? Maybe she had it hidden under her armor. Maybe it was the moonlight shining on the precious metal that finally made him notice it. A silver medallion hung around her neck, seemingly simple as it dangled from a leather cord, but the design engraved in it was anything but simple. It bore a spiral of flames, the signet of an Imperial order. Not thinking, he moved forward, reaching out to grab it, "Where did you-?"_

_Saiki backed away quickly, clutching the medallion, "Don't touch it! You can't!"_

"_But that seal, it's-."_

"_I know exactly what it is!"_

_Kashi blinked at the pair before catching sight of the medallion himself as her hand lowered, "Oh, void . . . that's . . ."_

_The elf leapt back across the roof, advancing the purple-haired woman quickly. Before she could bring her arm up to push him away, he snatched the hood down from her head. She grabbed his wrist, but couldn't stop the stronger man from pulling her long, messy hair away from the side of her face. Tacao moved to stop him, but halted as soon as he saw Saiki's ears with their delicate, blunted point, "Hells, she's . . ."_

"_Half-blooded. And she's a mage as well as a swordmaiden. And she carries the insignia of the Shakugan Order," Kashi explained, backing away as he ran a hand through his silver hair, crumpling it further, "Voidspawn, she's an Imperial priestess, no high priestess."_

"_Shakugan, the Burning Eyes, is she-?" Saruka started to ask until she was cut off._

"_I am Lady Saiki of the Order of the Burning Eyes, The Shakugan," she said, head bowed again and standing absolutely still, "High Priestess of the Ways of Fire for the Imperial College."_

"_You forgot to add Imperial Princess to your list of achievements," the elf muttered._

"_Hime . . ." Tacao whispered, staring at Saiki in awe, and wondering if he should have been bowing or on his knees. _

_A flash of pain crossed her face, "Don't call me that. I'm not a princess, at least not after tonight. I've . . . I've betrayed my family, my order, my way of life to do what I must, which is why seeing Queen Unna-day is of grave importance . . . Will you help me?"_

_Kaishi rubbed the bottom of his chin thoughtfully, "I don't know about that . . . Flametree is a long way from here. Half the Imperial army will probably be looking for you, and us now by default. Those bastards are mean to kill too. We're not well supplied at the moment, and under-funded. The trip will be exhausting and dangerous too getting through the Fire Veils. Then there's actually getting in to see the Queen through a castle under tight security. And really, I really don't feel like going, so-."_

"_Of course we'll help you!" Tacao shouted exuberantly._

_The elf's jaw dropped, "Well . . . damn."_

_Saruka burst out in laughter, pointing at her lover, "You really should see the look on your face. Shocked as all nine hells looks adorable on you."_

_Kashi glared at her and growled, "I am not adorable . . ."_

"_But you are!"_

_For a moment, the dark-haired man could have sworn his mentor was about to hit something, namely him, until he leapt back across the roof top, stalking off with a hunch to his shoulder. The elf's ears noticeably drooped as he grumbled, "Fine, we'll go. But if one thing goes wrong, I reserve all rights to say I told you so. You still owe me your life, brat, and now you owe me even more."_

"_Then I hope repayment doesn't come for a while."_

_The silver-haired man stopped, taking another look at the half-elven lady they were now stuck with. She was trouble alright, a worse kind of trouble than Saruka ever was. He shook his head and looked over at the pink-haired barbarian princess as she caught up to him. At least her trouble was more of a nuisance than certain doom. She looked at him concerned, and he sighed, ". . . Why do I feel that it'll come sooner than both of us think?"_

_She tried to smile reassuringly to him, but it didn't lighten the elf's mood at all. Even the tender kiss she planted on his rough cheek couldn't make his worry disappear completely. He took her hand, pulling her along as he headed for another roof, "Come on. We need to get out of the city before word spreads. We should be able to make it to Enma and Okna's farm before dawn then we can plan and set out tomorrow."_

_There wasn't any arguing with the elf, not when he set a plan. The pair set off ahead at a fast pace, leaving Tacao and Saiki to catch up. The human man leapt across, stopping to turn and help the lady over when he noticed that she was already beside him. "You didn't have to do that . . . really, I'm not worth it, even if my cause is."_

_He blinked at her, still in awe of everything he had seen and heard about her in the course of one fateful night. The gods of fate really must have been tugging his strings after all to give him a princess to defend, even if she appeared to need little defending. She looked like a princess too, poised, graceful, soft-spoken now that he knew what she wasn't given him a cold shoulder, and beautiful. Tacao shuffled his feet, starting to walk across the tiles, "But I wanted to . . . you're worth everything I can give."_

_Her lips parted, obviously shocked before she looked away and pulled her hood back up, "You barely even know me . . . I don't even know your names."_

"_Well, the elf is Kashi. You've heard that already. And the petite thing with the big sword he keeps with him is Saruka. You don't want to make her mad."_

"_And you, what's your name?"_

"_Tacao . . . just Tacao . . ."_

"_Well, Tacao . . . thank you . . . and you listen to too many bard's tales to think rescue a princess in distress will make you a hero."_

"_Hey!" he yelled, offended as she laughed softly, "I'm not that dumb to believe some spoony bard's tongue-waggling lies . . . but it is nice to have a goal."_

_They both laughed, an edge of nervousness in the air. He still couldn't keep from looking at her eyes. What once reflected flame earlier now looked like nothing more than pools of darkness, slowly sucking him in each time her lashes fluttered. Was this how Kashi had felt the first time he saw Saruka? Or was it just those silly bard stories of romance working on his head again? "Hey! Catch up will you!?" the barbarian woman yelled back to them, already at least three rooftops ahead._

_Saiki gave him one last smile then bounded ahead, springing from roof to roof. Whatever he was feeling, he didn't want it to go away, not any time soon. _

* * *

To Be Continued in Lesson 11 of the Way of the Sword, Dirty Laundry. 


End file.
